Not Intended
by hearmenot
Summary: Mafia Twilight story. Repost. Edward is the heir to the mafia royalty. Bella is a nurse. They meet in a hospital after he is shot by the rivaling organization. They fall in love but Bella finds it difficult to accept what his family stands for.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Great thanks to _EdwardsFirstKiss_** **who volunteered to beta this story. I will be reposting the chapters as she moves along with the editing.**

"Bella, Dr. Phillips wants to see us," Angela said, poking her head into the nurse's locker room.

Bella stood in a bra and pale blue scrubs as she glanced at her best friend over her shoulder. "I've just finished my shift," she grumbled, kicking off her work shoes. "And, what do you mean by 'us'? We haven't even worked the same shifts for the last six months. Why should they want to see us both? "

Angela adjusted her glasses, straightening them on her nose. "Carmen said that Dr. Phillips wanted Swan and Cheney, meaning you and me, in his office right away."

Bella pulled down her sweatshirt. "But, why? He's never called us in together before."

"Dunno, but we're to be in his office as soon as possible."

With a slight worry settling in her chest, Bella finished changing into jeans and ballet flats. Being called to the supervisor's office was always a bit of an unnerving experience, especially when it usually happened so rarely. But, Bella could not think about one thing wrong that she could have done. At the very least, to have done something bad enough to answer to the Chief of Surgery and not Carmen, their immediate supervisor. Bella had just ended a shift that had been so busy; she had been running from one patient to the other. Had she made a mistake without even noticing it? And, why was Angela being called in with her?

"Will Carmen be there with us?" Bella asked, walking into the break room where Angela had been patiently waiting for her.

Angela nodded. "Yes, she looked serious and kind of nervous. She said we needed to hurry."

"Don't scare me," Bella scolded lightly. "Carmen is usually pleased with our work." Carmen was the head nurse for their unit, and she had had the final word in hiring both Angela and Bella after both of their trial periods.

"Come on, let's go." Angela pulled at Bella's sleeve. "The sooner we get in there, the faster we learn what this is all about."

Bella gave a tired sigh. "You're right."

Taking her purse and jacket, she obediently followed Angela.

Carmen was waiting for them in front of Dr. Phillip's office.

"Good, you're here," she said, her Mexican accent more pronounced than usual. "They're waiting for us," she said before pushing the door open without knocking.

Bella and Angela exchanged one last worried look before entering.

Besides Doctor Phillips, there were two strange men in the office. They were dressed half casually, half formally, wearing ties and jackets but wearing jeans and sneakers. One was nearing sixty years of age while the other was considerably younger, perhaps in his late thirties.

"These two are too young," the younger of the men said, his eyes trained on both Bella and Angela.

"You asked for our two most-trusted nurses," Dr. Phillips said, his eyebrows furrowed. Bella thought he seemed upset and perhaps even angry.

The older man quickly supported his companion's opinion. "They are much too young and attractive. Cullen is a womanizer. A male nurse would be a better option."

Angela and Bella looked at one another, their confusion growing, before glancing at Carmen, hoping for an explanation.

"We have no male nurse on our unit," Carmen explained. "We would have to borrow one from another floor, but even then, he would need time to adjust to our procedures." Dr. Phillips was nodding his head in agreement with her. "I am not happy with assigning my two best nurses to only one patient."

The older man glared at Carmen. "Cullen must have the best care. He must live," he stressed. "We cannot risk losing him now that we have finally gotten him where we want him."

The younger man looked over at Dr. Phillips. "We would like to see the personnel files of these two," he pointed in the direction of Bella and Angela, "from the HR department before we decide. We cannot trust the care of Cullen to anyone who has a shady past."

Carmen's cheeks reddened and she stepped forward. "I can assure you that no one employed here has a shady past. This is a hospital for Christ's sake! We do not accept just anyone to work here. Nurse Cheney is the Reverend's daughter, and her husband is a firefighter. Nurse Swan's father is a retired Chief of Police. I don't believe you could find a more exemplary citizen than these two."

"Your decision then, gentlemen," Dr. Phillips said impatiently. "We do not appreciate your questioning our staff like this. And, we don't have all day for you to decide. I don't have to mention that we are not particularly happy with Mr. Cullen staying under our care in the first place. Nurse Swan has just finished a shift and is dead on her feet. I believe that both she and Nurse Cheney would like to hear the reason they have been brought here."

The strangers looked between themselves before the older one nodded his head. Then, the younger man stepped towards Bella and Angela.

"We are federal agents. Edward Cullen, son of Carlisle Cullen, is a well-known and extremely dangerous gangster. He was shot last night. Fortunately, we managed to get our hands on him and transported him here. He is still in the operating room, but soon; he will be transported to a room. He has to recover to be able to stand trial. He will be closely guarded. The two of you will be assigned to his care. He must leave this place alive."

Bella stared at both of the FBI agents; her mind slowly processing what she had just been told. First, she was relieved that both she and Angela had not been summoned because they had been in trouble. Secondly, she was flattered that they had been named the best nurses on their unit by both the Chief of Surgery and Carmen, respectively. Third, she felt indifferent to the entire affair. She was neither scared nor in any way excited over the news that they had a Mafioso on their ward. He was just another patient to take care of, son of a gangster or not. They had had patients from shootings before; some guarded by police officers, and she had never had much trouble with them. They had never been aggressive. She realized that she was probably too tired to make herself care - she just wanted to return to her apartment, climb into her comfy bed, and sleep for the next ten hours.

"While you take care of him," the man continued and glared interchangeably at Bella and Angela, "you are to limit the conversation or any interaction with him to the absolute minimum. If he tries to talk you into something, you are to tell us or your supervisor immediately. Understood?"

Bella nodded. "Yes."

"Yes," Angela said quietly.

The agents turned to both Dr. Phillips and Carmen, ignoring Bella and Angela. Angela looked with concern at Bella as she tried to hide her yawn, blinking her brown eyes rapidly to keep them open.

"Are we still needed?" Angela asked.

The agents barely acknowledged her question but as Carmen nodded her head at them, they quickly left the room.

"He must be a dangerous criminal if they are making such an affair out of it," Angela said quietly as they walked out into the corridor, away from the office.

Bella shrugged. "He is a patient like any other," she commented, not eager to continue the conversation about the Mafioso.

But, Angela wasn't willing to put the topic to rest. "Cullen, the agent said.… his name doesn't sound like Mafia. I would expect something more Italian, or Russian perhaps. Have you ever heard of him?"

Bella shot her an incredulous look, "Why should I have?"

"Well, your father was a Chief of Police for many years and…"

"Angie, you cannot be serious," she interrupted her friend. "Charlie was a Chief of Police in Forks. I sincerely doubt that he had ever dealt with organized crime. Above all, he never talked about his work at home, certainly not to me."

"You're right of course," Angela agreed. "But, I must admit that it's rather exciting that we have a real Mafia boss here. Things like this don't happen every day."

Bella shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "I think that someone has watched the Godfather too many times for her own good."

Angela blushed. "It is Ben's favorite movie."

"You said it, girl, it is a movie, a work of fiction, and the guy over there," Bella pointed in the general direction of the operating room, "is surely not another All Pacino."

Angela placed a hand over Bella's shoulder. "Have a good rest."

Bella closed her eyes, returning her friend's hug. "I fully intend to."

She walked to the elevator, thinking whether it would be possible to catch a ride with someone. Usually, she was very pleased to live within walking distance from the hospital, but today she had no energy to walk even the one block to her flat.

* * *

"Bella, how are you today?" Carmen asked casually, smiling as a young nurse entered the break room.

Bella smiled back with sincerity at the older woman. Carmen was always kind and fair to her, but usually not very keen on chatting during work hours. Bella suspected that the head nurse liked her even though she never favored her above other nurses.

"Fine, thank you. I had a nice weekend," she assured her. She fondly remembered the lazy Saturday she had spent sleeping late, cleaning her flat and getting groceries. Sunday had been filled with reading the newest novel by one of her favorite authors.

Bella was rather surprised to see Carmen here. Her shift must have ended over an hour ago, and she rarely stayed longer afterward. Bella knew from Carmen herself that she was a single mom of three teenagers, so she always hurried to get home as soon as possible.

"Good that's good," Carmen smiled again before her expression turned more businesslike. She pushed her hands into the pockets of her white coat." You must guess why I stayed longer to talk with you."

Bella nodded slowly. "You mean that mob... I mean Mr. Cullen," she cut her tongue at the last minute before almost saying mobster. He might have been a criminal but he was a patient first and it wasn't her role to place judgment.

"Yes, when we talked with Dr. Phillips and the FBI agents last Friday, you looked so exhausted. I wanted to make sure that you understand everything when it comes to Mr. Cullen."

Belle placed an expectant expression on her face and waited for the further instructions.

"He was shot in the chest," Carmen began explaining. "The bullet went between his ribs and pierced his left lung. He is stable now, but during surgery he had respiratory distress and hemorrhaged, He is very weak and will be in an induced coma until the rest of the week, if not longer; unless Dr. Phillips decides otherwise. You and Angela are the only nurses assigned to him. Your main task for now is monitoring his overall condition. You are not to leave his side unless you are getting supplies."

"I am to sit next to him the entire time? Is it truly necessary? It makes no sense."

"Yes, both you and Angela are to be by his side interchangeably the entire time he is here which requires some changes in your schedule. Believe me, I am less than happy with this arrangement, but the FBI agents are very persistent about it. They seem scared that something may happen to Cullen, and he will slip out of their hands."

Bella shrugged. "I guess there is not much that we can do about it."

Carmen nodded, before she said, and lowered her voice, "I must say that I'll be very relieved when Mr. Cullen is gone. His presence has already disturbed our work routine. Come with me. I need to introduce you to the officers who are guarding him."

* * *

Bella adjusted the catheter as gently as possible before looking up at the new IV drip, and making sure that it was running as it should.

She had already given him a sponge bath and changed his wound dressing. Now, she was left with nothing to do. Often, she felt tired attending to many patients at once. Now, she was missing the usual hustle and bustle.

Bella's two last shifts had been devoted entirely to Mr. Cullen. She had mainly found herself sitting in a chair in the corner, reading medical journals. Time passed at snail's pace at the very best. She would much prefer to read a good novel. But, she felt that it would be inappropriate in the workplace, when she had a seriously injured patient under her watch, conscious or not.

Still, she thought that it was nonsense that both she and Angela had to stay with Mr. Cullen all of the time. He was still on medication, making him sleep, and he certainly had no need of a nurse hovering over him every hour of the day and night.

Her gaze went from the drip straight to his face.

He might be a criminal, but he was insanely attractive.

With such looks, he belonged more in the film industry rather than organized crime, in her humble opinion.

While bathing him, she tried not to stare, but she failed more than once. Every part of him was very pleasant to look at. She even liked the heavy spattering of freckles marking his pale skin in many places on his lean body.

Angela was right in that he did not look Italian, but more like Irish.

Not that Bella had a specific preconception of how a Mafioso should look, but she certainly expected someone cruder around the edges. This man looked almost poetical with his pale skin and beautiful complexion, wild dark red hair and long, pianist's fingers.

Not to mention, the eyelashes.

No man should have such long and thick eyelashes.

No one visited him. Bella wondered whether his family didn't care or was not allowed by the police to come to the hospital.

She adjusted the blanket around him before marching decidedly into the far corner of the room.

She was ridiculous staring at him like that.

He was only a patient.

She hoped he would recover quickly and would soon be gone from their unit. Then, her professional life would return to the routine that even though usually tiresome and challenging was something that she liked and was used to.

_Thank you so much for reading and great thanks to _EdwardsFirstKiss who edited this chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_**Great thanks to **_**EdwardsFirstKiss **_**who kindly agreed to beta this story. English is not my first language consequently her job is not easy. Thank you! **_

"The sleeping beauty has awakened at last," Angela announced as she entered the break room.

Bella was already in scrubs, ready to start her shift. ""Huh? Sleeping beauty?" she questioned distractedly, not catching who her friend was referring to.

"Mr. Cullen of course," Angela replied. "You must admit that he is very handsome."

"He is pretty," Bella agreed easily.

"Pretty, yes, but overall not particularly talkative."

"Why? You said that he was awake."

"He is awake, but refuses to open his mouth to anyone," Angela explained. "I introduced myself to him as his nurse. In response, he gave me one look and then ignored me the rest of the day."

Bella shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry Angie. He's not worth it."

"I don't worry," Angela assured her. "I am used to difficult and unresponsive patients. I think that he is worried about his situation. The FBI is after him and he is more of a prisoner than a patient. He was shot and underwent a serious procedure. On top of that, his family clearly cannot visit him or perhaps they don't care."

"Let's hope that he will be discharged soon now that he is awake," Bella said, getting slightly irritated with Mr. Cullen's treatment of Angela. Her friend was one of the nicest people on earth and she deserved to be at the very least, acknowledged.

"I was in the room when Dr. Phillips examined him and he didn't speak to him either."

"Wow," Bella offered, pursing her lips. "What a jerk. Perhaps he's set himself on not speaking to anyone."

Angela nodded her expression thoughtful. "You might be right. Even when Dr. Phillips asked him about his current level of pain, he didn't reply."

"As I said, Angie, don't you dare be too upset about Mr. Cullen. He's the best proof that good looks doesn't always go together with decent behavior."

Angela smiled broadly. "Not always, and certainly not in your case."

Bella rolled her eyes. "You don't have to pay me compliments, Angie. We've known each other for almost ten years now."

"Someone should." Angela peered at Bella closely, a knowing look gleaming in her eyes. "You know, there is a new guy, working with Ben…"

Bella covered her ears with her hands. "No, I don't want to hear it. I told you not to try to set me up again."

"But," Angela gave her a pleading look. "I only want you to be happy."

"I am happy," Bella said firmly. "Please, Angie, I'm not in mood for this today."

"You are never in the right mood," Angela pointed out softly.

Bella shook her head in exasperation. "You know, for someone so nice and sweet, you can be extremely persistent bordering on obstinate and tenacious."

"I only want the best for you," Angela defended.

"I know," Bella said in a gentler tone, leaning over to give her friend a short hug. "But now, I really should go and check on Mr. I Am Too Good to acknowledge the hospital staff.

"Ok," Angela said, visibly dropping the topic for now. Even though Bella knew that it was only a matter of time before her friend would return with vengeance to Bella's lack of love life. "Have a good shift."

"Yeah, thanks," Bella replied with a smile, leaving the room quickly in case Angela changed her mind about pestering her more today.

* * *

Mr. Cullen was asleep when Bella entered his room or he pretended to be – either way she didn't care. She went about her work checking his IV drip and vitals.

When she returned to his room some time later with a new drip, he was wide awake, following her with his bright green eyes from the moment she entered the room.

She met his gaze calmly before replacing the finished drip with a new one.

"Where is the other nurse, the tall one?" he asked.

Bella jerked slightly hearing the deep timbre of his voice. This guy should seriously consider working in the movie industry. With his voice and looks, he would make millions of women turn into mush with very little effort.

Not looking at him, but feeling his gaze on her, she carefully secured the bag of fluid. "Angela has finished her shift," she replied. "She and I have been taking care of you since you were brought here from surgery two weeks ago."

He was quiet for a moment, still staring at her. "What's your name?" he asked.

She met his gaze, wondering why he was talking to her when he had ignored Angela, not to mention Dr. Phillips.

"My name's Isabella," she introduced herself, her voice even. "Do you need anything Mr. Cullen?" she asked politely.

"No, thank you," he replied sounding equally polite.

"Are you in pain?" she asked, remembering how Angela said that he had refused to answer that question before.

"I'm fine," he grumbled, his voice much less pleasant than only a moment ago.

Despite his assurance, she could see the grimace of discomfort crossing his face every time he moved, even a little.

"There is no shame in admitting that you are in pain," she admonished gently. "We are here to help you to recover your health with as little pain and suffering as possible."

He seemed to listen to her carefully, his intense eyes not leaving her face.

Encouraged by his welcoming response, she added quickly, "I can call Dr. Phillips, and if you are willing to talk to him about your level of pain, he will adjust your medication to reduce your discomfort."

He was quiet for a long time, and Bella was almost sure that he would tell her off at any moment, but instead, he nodded his head slightly in agreement. "I will talk to the doctor."

Bella hid her smile, turning her back to him.

"Bella," she heard Carmen's voice before seeing her face poking into the room. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

She hurried out of the room past the police officers guarding the door to her supervisor who was waiting for her in the corridor.

"Since, Mr. Cullen is feeling better now, Angela and you are no longer required to watch over him the entire time," Carmen said straight forwardly.

Bella was not in the least offended with Carmen's abrupt tone. She had gotten used to it over the years.

"You can return to your usual routine from now on, checking on Mr. Cullen like any other patient."

Bella nodded. "That's good to hear. I was getting frustrated with sitting in his room, and doing so little."

Carmen pulled her a few steps farther from the door, speaking in a lowered voice. "We managed to convince the FBI that we are already understaffed and there is no need for Mr. Cullen to have a nurse by his side all the time."

"Mr. Cullen wants to talk to Dr. Phillips," Bella announced.

"He does?" Carmen eyebrows rose high on her forehead. "He said that to you?"

"Yes, he's just said that," Bella confirmed. "He wants to talk to him about his pain level. I think that he needs something stronger than what he's currently receiving. He seemed to be in major discomfort when I observed him."

"But, he refused to talk to anyone else, even the police."

"Well, he talked to me."

Carmen eyed her curiously. "I will deal with it, and you go help Mrs. Chan. She needs assistance with going to the bathroom."

Bella walked away, relieved that she was back to her normal duties. Mr. Cullen was making her feel very uneasy. She didn't like that.

"Where have you been?" She was welcomed with an indignant expression painted on his face and a whining tone in his voice as soon as she entered the room.

"I have other patients to attend to Mr. Cullen," she said, careful not to show irritation in her voice. "I've told you that already."

Who did he think that he was? She was not at his beck and call. Did he think that everyone should dance around him? Perhaps in his everyday life things worked like that for him, but this was a hospital, not mob headquarters.

Bella went about her routine, checking his drip and wound dressing.

"How long have you been working here?"

She glanced up at him, taken aback with his question. Did he doubt her professional skills? Did he think that she was not qualified or experienced enough?

"Almost four years," she replied after a moment of hesitation.

"You were hired straight out of college?"

"Yes."

"Meaning you are twenty five or six years old now?"

She nodded only, hoping that she would discourage his enquiries with her lack of response. Why was he asking her all of these questions? The FBI had warned her not to talk to him too much.

"Boyfriend or husband?" was his next question.

"Excuse me?" she asked pretending that she didn't understand what he was asking about.

"You aren't wearing any rings, but you could remove them for work."

Bella decided that ignoring him would be the best thing to do.

"Well?" he prompted, his voice getting impatient.

She held his gaze steadily for a moment. "Do you want a sponge bath now or later when I return from seeing other patients?" she asked evenly.

His eyes glimmered, and a small, crooked grin played on his lips. "Now."

For the next few minutes, Bella busied herself with arranging everything that she needed to give him a bath. To her relief, Mr. Cullen ceased his questioning for the time being.

She drew the curtain around the bed on the side of the door in case someone suddenly walked into the room.

With sure, quick movements she started to run the sponge along his face, neck and chest, careful to avoid his wound dressing. His eyes were closed, and relaxed, his body limp. Most patients were tense and visibly nervous when Bella washed them. She could understand the source of their discomfort - bathing was a very intimate process, reserved for the privacy of one's bathroom. Moreover, most people were self-conscious about their bodies, often unwilling to show them to the strangers. Mr. Cullen, however, seemed to be rather enjoying himself.

"Will you shave me?" he asked not opening his eyes as she worked on his lean but strong arms and armpits.

Glancing up at his face, she noticed that he had managed to grow a rather bushy reddish – brown beard during the period of his stay in the hospital. He did look a bit wild.

"I haven't got a razor, but I can bring one later if you wish, or ask Angela to shave you during her shift."

"No," he reached for her hand, wrapping his fingers around her wrist. "I only want you."

Carefully, she removed her hand from his grip. Mr. Cullen was acting strange to put it mildly. She remembered the FBI mentioning that he was a womanizer. Was he trying to play with her, charm her, influence her to help him escape?

She felt growing heat from inside.

"You're blushing," he noted sounding extremely pleased with himself.

"I would be grateful if you kept your hands to yourself Mr. Cullen," she said, hoping to sound cool, composed and indifferent.

"My name's Edward."

She ignored him, concentrating her attention on running the sponge along his hairy legs and big feet.

It did not escape her notice that he was fully erect. Even his penis was pretty - like the rest of him.

She finished quickly with his lower body, reaching for a towel to dry him off.

"You missed one place," he said, smirking while pointing to his crotch. Cocky bastard. He was clearly enjoying this.

Bella pressed her lips in a tight line, right hand on her hip. "I believe that your hands are not injured, Mr. Cullen. You should have no problem in dealing with your erection on your own. If you need a few minutes to relieve yourself, I'll leave you alone."

His eyes twinkled as he burst into laughter.

Bella rolled her eyes at his merriment, before adjusting his gown and pulling the thin hospital blanket over his long form.

"You are leaving then?" he asked, making sad, puppy eyes, when she returned to his side after cleaning the bath items.

She barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes again. What was he? Five or six?

"I've told you that there are other patients. You aren't the only one under my care," she repeated tiredly. "Try to get some sleep. It will help you to regain your strength, Mr. Cullen."

"Edward." His green eyes tried to stare her down.

Ignoring him again, she hurried out of the room without a second glance back.

Outside in the corridor, she stopped, and placed her hand on her chest, and tried to calm her racing heart.

She could not allow him to get to her like this.

He was very good at manipulating people – there was no doubt in that. Such ability had to be very helpful if not necessary in his line of work.

_Thank you so much for reading and commenting! This chapter was edited by **EdwardsFirstKiss**._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The beta for this chapter was _**EdwardsFirstKiss**_. Great thanks for her help!

"Good that I caught up with you," Angela said as she stepped into the elevator at the last moment before the door closed.

Bella smiled. "Good to see you too, Angie. We've barely seen each other for the last few weeks. Mr. Cullen is getting better, and I think that the police will take him away soon. Then our schedules will return to normal. I miss our time outside of the hospital."

"Me too, Bells," Angela grinned down at her. She was the only female friend who sometimes called her Bells, a nickname her father had invented for her when she had been a baby. "Let's have lunch together. You still have half an hour before your shift starts. I have news for you about Mr. Cullen."

"Gosh, Angie, you are obsessed with that man," Bella teased. "Ben should be worried."

Their conversation was interrupted by a group of people with balloons and flowers – obviously visitors to one of the patients.

They entered the hospital cafeteria where Bella bought a bottled orange juice, while Angela went with the regular lunch usually served – mashed potatoes with peas and fish sticks. Bella shrugged abhorrently as she watched her friend dig into the disgusting looking meal with gusto. It was one of the things about Angela that awed her – she could eat anything without it upsetting her stomach or becoming ill.

Bella reached into her bag for the neatly packed sandwiches she had made with home roasted ham, homemade bread and pickles. Cooking was Bella's great passion, equaled only by her love of books. Had she not become a nurse, she would undoubtedly have worked in a restaurant.

"Well?" Bella prompted, sinking her teeth into the mouthwatering sandwich. "What about Mr. Cullen?" she asked with her mouth full.

Angela gave her a triumphant smile. "See. You're curious about him too. Admit it."

Bella only shrugged, and steadily chewed her sandwich.

"He was asking about you an awfully lot, by the way."

Bella swallowed the food in her mouth. "You didn't tell him anything, did you?"

"Only that we've known each other since high school," Angela admitted guiltily.

"Angie! How could you? The FBI stressed that we should not talk to him."

"He tricked me," Angela defended herself. "He was awfully nice to me, and he usually doesn't speak to me at all. We were talking, and he asked whether you and I were good friends. I said yes, and then he asked if we had met at work. I said that no that we've been friends since high school. Only, then I thought that perhaps I had said too much, but he didn't ask me anything further because Dr. Phillips walked in."

Bella shook her head. Poor Angela -she was too good, and kind for her own good and people took advantage of that.

"That's just great," Bella muttered.

"Don't be angry with me?" Angela pleaded, with sad eyes. "I'm not," Bella assured her. "I just can't wait until he's out of here. Conceited jerk."

"You never speak about patients that way. He must have really gotten under your skin," Angela peered at her closely, worry edged in her features.

Bella hesitated whether to tell Angela about Cullen's attitude and his special brand of flirting that he had tried to exercise on her. True, that after his special request to deal with his erection, he had apologized to her, and said that he was out of line. He also seemed sincere and worried about her reaction. Still, it didn't stop him from bothering her later, trying to get as much information from her about her personal life as possible.

"I just want him gone. He makes me uncomfortable," Bella said, deciding not to worry Angela with the details.

Her friend paled visibly. "Did he try anything?" she asked.

"Nothing I can't handle," Bella said assuredly. "Still, I'm happy that he's getting better, and the police will soon take him away."

"Here's my news; the police are gone," Angela announced.

Bella frowned. "How?"

"I don't know the details, but Carmen said that the charges against him were dropped, and he is to be treated like any other patient from now on. He will stay in a separate room, but I think that's because his family has paid for it. They've been camping there from early this morning, by the way."

"Wow, that's just great. More Cullens to deal with," Bella said dryly.

"Yeah, perhaps he isn't a criminal after all."

"Angie, you heard what the FBI agents said."

"They might have been wrong about him," Angela insisted.

"I don't think that the FBI would have gone to so much trouble to keep someone alive and guard them if they hadn't had some very strong reasons," Bella pointed out. "Let's not be fooled by his pretty face. He is sneaky and manipulating, and his family must have worked really hard to get the charges against him dropped."

Bella glanced at her watch with a soft gasp. "Crap, I'm late. I'll text you later," she cried, standing up from her chair.

Angela waved at her, calmly finishing her lunch.

For the most part of the afternoon, Bella checked on all her patients except Mr. Cullen. But, around four o'clock, she had no other choice but to go to his room to change his drip, and take his vital signs. There was no way she could delay it any longer. She only hoped that his family was gone by now.

As she entered the room, she saw that her hopes had been futile. There were two females guarding his bed.

Bracing herself inwardly, she put a calm, professional expression on her face. "Excuse me for a moment, but I need to change Mr. Cullen's drip and take his vital signs."

Both women turned to look at her while Cullen said, "This is Bella."

The older woman, who could only have been his mother, judging by the bright red hair and freckles, gave her a long look through narrowed green eyes. She was assessing Bella shrewdly from head to toe, at last settling her gaze on Bella's face.

She must have been pleased with what she had seen, because she stepped forward, and smiled widely. "My name's Esme Cullen and I want to thank you for taking such good care for my boy."

Bella politely returned her smile, but kept herself guarded. "It's my job, Mrs. Cullen," she said quietly.

The woman opened her mouth to say something more, but the teenage girl, looking about seventeen jumped to both of their sides.

"My name's Alice," she introduced herself. "I'm the sister." Bella gave her a quick look, amazed at her outfit. She was wearing towering, sparkling heels, green snake-skin leggings, a dark purple mini skirt with little feathers attached to it and a fitted, black jacket. The whole outfit was original, eye-catching and expensive looking, but not something one would usually wear to visit a sick brother in the hospital. "You're very pretty," Alice said, "I've never seen someone look so good without make-up. Wow, what great hair you have too." She reached her small hand to touch Bella's hair, which as usual while at work was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. "Kate Middleton has nothing on you in that department. How long is it? Past your waist, I'm guessing."

Bella gaped at Alice, not knowing how to react. Was this girl for real?

"Alice, leave her alone for God's sake," Mrs. Cullen scolded. "Bella is at work. She doesn't want to talk fashion with you now. Excuse me, dear." She smiled warmly at Bella again. "We'll go for a coffee now. Do you want anything, dear, latte or a muffin, perhaps?"

Bella blinked, not certain whether the question was being addressed to her or to Mr. Cullen. "No, thank you, Mrs. Cullen."

The woman smiled at her again, before turning to her son. "We'll be back in half an hour." She patted her son's cheek. "Don't forget to be a gentleman."

Bella let out a soft sigh of relief as both Cullen women left the room.

"They are quite something," Cullen observed, with an amused smile.

Bella stepped closer to him. "Your family is very nice, but rather … intense."

He laughed. "Intense, to be sure."

Bella quietly went about her work. A part of her wanted to talk to him, but she restrained herself. She reminded herself of her resolution to keep a distance. He was making her feel so uneasy, especially when his eyes followed her every move.

Perhaps now that the police was not guarding him any longer, his family would take him to a fancy private clinic for the rest of his recovery. It would make her life much easier.

"Tiring night?" Cullen asked as Bella entered his room for the first time in the morning, bringing his breakfast.

Bella nodded. "Yeah, we had casualties from an accident on the highway." She covered her yawn with her hand. "I'm sorry."

"You should have some coffee," he noted.

"I didn't have time, perhaps later." She glanced down at his breakfast. "Eat, Mr. Cullen. You must eat in order to regain your strength."

"I'll eat if you stop calling me Mr. Cullen. My name's Edward."

She let out an impatient sigh. "I don't respond well to blackmail, Mr. Cullen. Besides, I hope that you don't want to get me into trouble."

He was such a pain in the ass. She had had a difficult night and still had an entire day of work stretching before her until the end of her shift. Her patience was running thin today. Could he not do as he was told this one time?

"We aren't allowed to call patients by their first names?"

"It's not common, and it's always best to keep a professional distance. Eat," she said firmly, looking pointedly at the tray in front of him.

"If you answer one question, I'll eat."

She crossed her arms over her chest, eying him speculatively. "I don't promise to answer."

His expression turned eager. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"It's not any of your business, but no, I don't," she replied, hoping this would put end to his questions.

"Why?" He seemed genuinely surprised.

She lifted one finger. "One question, Mr. Cullen. I answered you, now eat. A deal is a deal."

He gave her a long, hard look. "Do you have any idea who you are talking to?"

His glare and tone of voice were clearly aimed at intimidating her, but she was too tired and worn out to care. "You are my patient who should eat his breakfast," she informed him calmly. "If you refuse to do as I ask, I will tell your mother. I'm sure that she'll be here soon."

His lips turned into a small smile. "I don't respond well to blackmail either, Miss Swan," he replied, but at last, he reached for one of the containers, and picked up the one with jelly. After one bite though, he tossed it back on the tray. "This is disgusting. I want a steak."

"You can't have one. You're on a diet," she firmly informed him.

"Why am I on a diet?" he wanted to know.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Because you underwent a serious procedure not so long time ago, and it's standard routine."

"Hasn't anyone told you that it's rude to roll your eyes at your patients, Miss Swan?" he asked her, his green eyes narrowed. "I wonder what your superiors would say if they heard about that? It is far from keeping the professional distance you mentioned earlier, I believe."

Bella pressed her lips lightly together, barely stopping herself from lashing out at him. What an asshole! She was dead on her feet, and he made everything even harder for her, with his stubbornness and stupid questions.

Turning on her heels, she marched towards the door. She had had enough for this morning.

In the doorway, she walked straight into Esme Cullen.

"Good morning, Bella!" the older woman cheered in greeting. "You look tired," she noted with obvious concern in her voice, before glancing past her at Cullen. "Is my son giving you trouble, my dear?"

"Yes, Mrs. Cullen, I'm afraid so. For the last fifteen minutes, I've been trying to convince Mr. Cullen to eat his breakfast. He doesn't seem to understand that he can't have steak when he is recuperating after a serious operation."

Esme Cullen rubbed her shoulder. "I'll take care of that," she assured her, and stepped forward, with eyes on her son. Looking over her shoulder, Bella observed quite fascinated at how Cullen picked up the jelly and began to shove it into his mouth. Only one look from his mother was enough to make him eat! Amazing!

The rest of the morning passed quickly for Bella. She managed to take a short break around midday. Dropping on a small sofa in the break room, she closed her eyes. She lacked the energy to make herself a promised cup of coffee. Besides, she was not particularly eager for the coffee they had here – frankly it was disgusting.

There was a knock on the door, which caused her to open her eyes.

Before she could say enter, a young boy pushed the door open, looking inside. "I'm looking for Miss Swan," he said.

"I'm Bella Swan," she replied, standing up.

He stepped in, a rather large brown paper bag in his hands. He wasn't as young as her first impression of him implied. He could be in high school or perhaps the first year of college.

"I'm to deliver this to you," he said, pushing the bag into her arms.

Bella gave him a surprised look. "I haven't ordered anything," she said, turning the bag in her arms, seeing it had a Starbucks logo printed on it.

"It's for you, Miss," the boy insisted. "All paid for," he added with a grin. Then, he respectfully bowed his head and hurried out of the room.

Bella stepped after him into the corridor, but he was already by the elevators.

She returned to the break room and placed the paper bag on the table. Peeking inside, she could see that it held all kinds of goodies-large brownies, a sizeable chunk of chocolate cake, and a roasted turkey sandwich. There was also a tall insulated mug - ceramic with a white and gold finish. She had admired a similar one a few weeks ago, but had decided that nearly fifty dollars for a mug didn't fit in her budget.

She opened the lid and inhaled the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

The person who had sent her all of this had to have spent around $100. It was a nice gesture to be sure, but definitely too generous.

She closed the lid regretfully, telling herself that she could not possibly accept it.

She had no problem with defining the person behind the unexpected gift. Only Cullen could have sent it. Who else, but him?

Never before had someone thought about her in such a way, buying her a coffee and a meal to help her survive through the long shift.

Again, she opened the mug and longingly stared at the dark liquid. Surely, she would not be indebted to the mafia if she drank this? It would be a waste of an excellent cup of coffee if she didn't.

Cullen was an ass to her today; perhaps this was his way of apologizing.

For God sake's! It was only a cup of coffee! There was no crime in accepting it, was there? With this thought, she sat down and decidedly reached for the paper bag. She took out the turkey sandwich.

She bit into the sandwich, and her stomach growled hungrily, and took a few sips of hot coffee, which instantly warmed her.

Bella was not used to someone thinking about her, and taking care of her even in such a small way.

She had to admit that it was a thoughtful gesture on Cullen's part and that she was grateful to him.

Bella entered Cullen's room last after checking on all of her other patients. It had become a routine for her- he always stirred feelings, which disturbed her inner peace making it difficult to do her job. The energy was charged when she was near him, and he always gave her something to think about.

Today, it was the coffee situation. She had shamefully inhaled not only the excellent coffee but devoured most of the brownies and turkey sandwich as well, leaving only the chocolate cake for later.

Now, she had reached an impasse of a kind – she had accepted his gift, a favor from him, even though she knew that she shouldn't have. Now, she needed to repay him – just to make herself feel better. She hated to feel indebted to others.

Putting a brave expression on her face, she entered his room, only to step back when she saw a huge man perched on a chair next to the bed.

She had not seen him before - she was quite sure. He looked more like a bodyguard. Since the police had left, Cullen had only family visiting him, mainly his mother and sister. But, Angela had mentioned that during her shift there had been some men coming in too.

She didn't mean to be rude to this strange man, so she smiled. "I need to take a sample of Mr. Cullen's blood," she said, hoping that the guest would leave them alone for a moment.

The huge man was staring at her intently in a way as if he had recognized her from some past meeting. Bella frowned slightly and curiously returned his gaze. Nope, she surely had never met him before.

"Bella, this is Emmett, my younger brother," Cullen said as a matter of introduction.

Bella smiled again and softly said, "Hello."

Emmett blinked as if shaking himself out of some trance, then approached her with wide, dimpled smile, extending his hand to her.

Still smiling, Bella pulled out her hand, expecting a firm handshake, but was taken aback when he took her hand into delicate grasp, lifting it to his lips.

Bella giggled at his chivalry and then giggled even more at what he said. "Hello, my fair lady. It is a pleasure to meet the one who captivated my brother's fussy ass."

"Get your hands off her, Emmett," Cullen growled from the bed.

The other man ignored him, focusing his entire attention on Bella. "You remind me of someone," he said.

That would explain his staring; Bella thought. He must have had a female friend looking a bit like her.

"Are you related to Chief Swan from Forks by chance?" Emmett asked. "You look a lot like him."

Bella's eyes widened in shock. Had her father had some relations with the Cullens? Did he know them? "Yes, that's my father," she replied, eyeing the man in front of her cautiously. "Do you know him?" she asked in a small voice.

Emmett waved his hand dismissively. "I met him only once; he doesn't remember me I'm sure. He's a very cool guy."

Bella only nodded, still wary.

"I have a good memory for names and faces," Emmett explained easily. "When Edward talked about you before, saying that your surname was Swan I immediately remembered your father. It's not exactly a common surname."

"Not particularly," she agreed.

"And when I saw you, I thought that it might be just the case, you look a lot like him."

"Yes, I have his coloring," Bella confirmed. "But I have my mother's face shape and body built."

"What a coincidence to meet you here," Emmett continued brightly. "Chief Swan's daughter taking care of my big bro, who would have guessed?"

"Yes, small world," she murmured, not knowing what to say. How awkward.

Emmett had said that he had met Charlie only once, but if that was the case why he had remembered him so well? Well, enough to guess that she could have been his daughter. Very strange. Her father had not stood out of the crowd. He was rather ordinary looking, just like her.

She glanced over at the Cullen, who was frowning heavily, looking seriously displeased with something, alarmed even. Strange.

"Emmett, I think that'd be better if you go now," Cullen said.

"Sure bro!" Emmett agreed, his tone light. "I will drop by later."

With one smile in her direction, Emmett was gone. As soon as he left the room it seemed to become more spacious.

Bella stepped to Cullen to draw his blood.

"I think that it's the last time," she said as she finished, referring to the blood sample in her hand.

"Yes, Dr Phillips said that they would release me with the beginning of next week."

Bella nodded; her eyes lowered, but she said nothing. He would be here for only three days then. But it was good all for good. His presence was too disturbing.

She looked up slowly, catching his gaze. "I want to thank you for the coffee."

He put on an innocent expression. "What coffee?"

"You know very well," she replied quietly. "That was very thoughtful of you; that coffee was a lifesaver for me today, and everything else in the bag was delicious as well." She smiled at him, feeling the color in her cheeks rising. "Thank you."

She was surprised when he caught her hand in his much larger one. "I was an asshole to you this morning. I could see that you were tired, and it didn't stop me from nagging you relentlessly. My mother had a word with me about this."

Bella didn't take his hand from him, allowing him to caress the top of her hand with his thumb. "The coffee then was your mum's idea then?" she asked.

"No, it was mine."

She pulled her hand away. "I shouldn't have accepted it."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Too much, too expensive," she whispered.

"Nonsense," he dismissed her worry.

"Not for me," she said seriously. "You must let me repay you."

His jaw line tightened, and he sent her furious glare. "If you think of giving me money, forget about it."

"I wasn't thinking about that... I thought that you could allow me to buy you coffee once you are out of here, and feeling well enough to go out."

Bella returned his gaze calmly, being aware that she had just propositioned him and that he might in all probability laugh her off.

A delighted grin spread his handsome face. "A date?"

He looked so adorably eager that it warmed her heart, making her smile back.

"Just coffee," she clarified, hoping that he wouldn't be getting any ideas.

"Coffee," he agreed, a wide smile not leaving his face.

"I should get this to the lab," Bella said with a serious frown, referring to his blood sample. "I'm finishing my shift soon so you won't see me today."

"You'll be back on Monday?" he asked as she was by the door.

"Yes."

"I'll make sure to stay here long enough to take your cell number."

"Great," she gave him a tight smile, before turning to leave. "Goodnight."

She didn't wait for him to reply, all but escaping from the room. God, she was behaving like some teenager in his company!

And what had she just done? She had asked out a man who supposedly was a mafia boss. Was she out of her mind?

She should put herself together – that was not a big deal. It was only a coffee! They would meet in the middle of the day; she would buy him a coffee or whatever he wanted to repay for his thoughtfulness. They would talk for half an hour and then she would not have to see him ever again.

When Bella came to work on Monday Cullen's bed was stripped down, his room empty. He was discharged early in the morning and obviously left immediately.

She told herself that she didn't care that he had left without a word of goodbye to her. Even though, he had said that he would wait around to get her cell phone number so they could meet for coffee outside the hospital.

She began her usual work day trying very hard not to think about Cullen. She was far from successful. When she almost gave the wrong medicine to the patient, noticing her mistake at the very last moment, she scolded herself harshly, calling herself irresponsible idiot under her breath.

She had been so stupid and naïve believing that Cullen would keep his word! FBI had said that he was a womanizer! He had played her. She had been just a source of entertainment for him during his stay at hospital.

It was a long time since she'd felt such humiliation and of her own doing to make the matters worse.

The day was unusually slow, which gave her too much time to think. To distract herself, she accepted Carmen invitation to join her in the cafeteria for lunch, even though she usually preferred to eat in the break room alone.

"So how's everything going?" her supervisor asked as they sat down, Carmen with her cafeteria bought lunch and Bella with her usual homemade sandwiches.

Bella smiled politely. "Fine, thank you."

Carmen had eyed her for a moment before she said. "I invited you here because I want to ask you about something."

Bella gave the older woman her full attention. "Yes."

"Not to beat about the bush – my nephew asked me whether I could give him your phone number."

Bella blinked her eyes, entirely taken aback. "Your nephew? Do I know him?" She vaguely remembered Carmen's children but a nephew? No, certainly not. What could he want from her? Perhaps he needed a private nurse to pay home visits? If that were the case, she would have to refuse. Her work at the hospital was exhausting enough, and she didn't want to put on additional hours.

"I never introduced you to him, but you may remember him. He came here once to bring to me something from my sister."

She shook her head. "I don't think so…"

"Tall, dark hair, and eyes," Carmen smiled.

Bella returned her smile apologetically. "Sorry, I don't recall anyone like that… You see so many people here every day," she tried to justify herself.

"Sure, you can't remember everyone," Carmen agreed easily. "So can I give him your cell number?"

"I'm not sure," Bella began hesitantly. "I could use some additional money, but I don't think that I'll be able to visit a patient at his home."

Carmen looked at her with a frown. "Bella, it's not about a job. Pedro wants to ask you out."

"Oh," Bella said only. God, what an idiot she was. Her brain was working slowly today. "He wants to ask me out and he saw me only once?"

"Not once, he came here a few times after that first visit, just to see you. But we were always too busy so I couldn't make introductions. Finally I told him not to bother me at work and proposed that I would ask for your permission to give him your number."

Bella stared at her supervisor not being sure what to say. In one day she was blown off by one guy, and sought after by another whom she didn't even know.

Feeling her indecision, Carmen added proudly easily heard in her voice. "He is a good boy, handsome and educated, two years older than you. He is engineer, working in the construction business. He even thinks about starting his own building business in the future."

Usually Bella didn't like to be pressed like that, but today she needed to improve her self-esteem.

"Sure, Carmen. I'd be happy to meet him. He may call Wednesday evening. I should sleep off my shift by seven or eight, being coherent enough to talk with him."

Very uncharacteristically for her Carmen clapped her hands together. "He will be over the moon when I tell him!"

Bella smiled politely. She didn't know that Pedro guy, but one date could not hurt her, and because he was related to Carmen, there were good chances that he was a decent person.

Suddenly the joyful expression was wiped from Carmen's face replaced with a scowl as she looked over Bella's head at something.

"What's he doing here? I discharged him myself."

Bella swallowed as she slowly turned her head in the direction where Carmen was looking.

Edward Cullen stood tall and proud in the entrance to the cafeteria dressed casually in navy blue jeans, white shirt and black jacket, with a huge bouquet of flowers in his hand.

When he saw that she noticed him, he lifted his hand in a wave and began marching into her direction.

Terrified that he would try to speak with her in the presence of Carmen she jumped off her chair, almost running into his direction.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed as he dragged him by his sleeve out of the cafeteria.

"Hello to you too," he answered with a frown. He looked displeased. "We were to talk about our date," he reminded her.

"It's not a date, just coffee," she whispered, looking around if someone might have overheard him. "Please, lower your voice."

"Are you ashamed of me?" he asked unbelievably.

"Are you surprised? Not everyone wants to be seen with…" she bit her tongue at the last moment before saying a mob boss.

He arched his eyebrow curiously. "With whom?"

"Look, I work here," she dodged his question. "You cannot just show up like that."

"Should I walk on thin air then?"

"You could have been more discreet."

He lifted the flowers right in front of her face.

"They're not needed," she said, looking at the gorgeous bouquet of cream colored roses. "How much did you spend on them?" she wanted to know. "I don't want you spending even more money on me. I don't like to feel indebted to anyone, especially to someone like you!"

"I think that I should get offended," he told her. "And could you relax, please?"

She breathed out angrily through her nose. "No, I cannot relax."

"Well then…" he said, walking unexpectedly to the nearest window, lifting the roses up." I'll just throw them out of the window."

"No," she cried out, reaching up to his arm to stop him. "I'll take them, just go now, please. My lunch break has already ended, and I should return to work."

He nodded, giving her the flowers. Gosh, they were heavy.

"Now, can you go?" she pleaded desperately.

He fished a phone from the inside pocket of his jacket, extending his other hand at the same time. "Your cell."

Bella gave him her phone quickly. He taped her number into his memory before calling her back.

He handed her to her, and she could see that he saved his number under Edward.

"When can I call?"

"Wednesday evening," she said. "Now please, go."

He took a step closer. "I look forward to our meeting."

She managed unconvincing smile. "Thank you for the flowers. You shouldn't have, but thank you."

She let out a huge sigh of relief when he disappeared in the elevator.

Now she only had to hide those flowers somewhere. Perhaps she could leave them in the chapel by the altar?

_Thank you for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Great thanks to _EdwardsFirstKiss_ for being beta for this chapter!**

Bella stood in front of the floor length mirror in her bedroom. She was wearing a sundress and wedge sandals, both she had gotten from her mother.

Yeah, she was that pathetic, nearly twenty – six-year-old woman who had her mum still buying her clothes. Renee often complained that her daughter didn't have enough feminine outfits in her closet. As a result, she liked to buy her a dress or two from time to time.

The current dress was on the short side, reaching mid-thigh, but today it was warm and sunny - definitely too hot for jeans.

Bella put on a little makeup, and pulled her hair up on the top of her head in a messy bun – again, it was too hot to wear it loose.

In a little over an hour, she was to meet Edward Cullen for coffee. A man whom the FBI considered to belong to organized crime.

This morning she had googled the Cullen family. If she had any doubt or perhaps hope that the FBI had been wrong about Cullen, now it was gone. The Wikipedia article stated clearly that the Cullens were one of the ten most powerful Mafia families in the USA with their main base being in Chicago. She well remembered how she had repeatedly been told by her professors in college that Wikipedia wasn't a reliable source of information, but she feared that in this case, it was correct.

All of her limited knowledge about the Mafia came from a few movies. She had seen _The Godfather_ with Ben and Angela when they had still been in high school. Later in college, they had watched Gangs of New York and_ Goodfellas_ in her American history class.

Extortion, illegal gambling, human trafficking, tax fraud, loan sharking, and murder – those were areas controlled by the Mafia nowadays; Wikipedia stated. She read it several times. She would have to remember them as a protection against falling under the Cullen charm.

Her parents were hard working and honest citizens, the same as she was. Her father had been ex-military, and later the Chief of Police in their little town for nearly fifteen years. She needed to remember about that and who she was. It was something to be proud of. She and Cullen came from two very different worlds.

She glanced at the clock – she would have to leave soon if she were to be on time. The coffee house where they had agreed to meet was a few blocks away from her apartment, and she decided to walk instead of driving. Finding a parking place would be difficult at this hour and it was no far.

She grabbed her purse, locked the door and soon she was in front of her apartment building, the blazing sun hurting her eyes. She pulled out sunglasses and began to walk.

All too soon, she discovered that the wedges that Renee had bought for her weren't the most comfortable shoes. The straps around her ankles and toes were digging into her skin rather painfully. That was really brilliant of her to put on shoes she had never worn before for a long walk.

She was nearing the corner near the designated coffee house when the pain caused by the evil wedges became unbearable.

Desperately, she looked around hoping to find a shoe shop in the vicinity, but didn't see one, just a bookshop, restaurant and flower shop. She knew that there were some elegant boutiques on the next street, but she doubted that they carried flip- flops, and she had no need for more heels at the moment.

She heard her name being called over the traffic noise, and looking up, and she saw Cullen waving at her. He was earlier than she was. Great. Putting a brave expression on her face, she started to walk slowly towards him.

"What's the matter?" he asked as soon as he reached her.

"I'm fine," she answered instantly, smiling.

He didn't buy it as he took a closer look at her. "You're in pain; I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm fine," she repeated through clenched teeth. "Can we go?" she barked, motioning with her head in the direction of the coffee house.

He didn't seem to listen to her. He put a hand on her shoulder, running it down the length of her arm, his gaze moving down her body.

"Your shoes," he guessed knowingly, staring at her feet.

"What? No?" she pretended not to understand.

"Bella, you have blood on your toes," he informed her.

She looked down, and indeed there was a little blood and redness on her big toe. "Oh, crap," she moaned. "My mum bought me these shoes. I'm wearing them the first time."

"What's your size?" he asked.

"Six and a half," she answered.

The next moment, he was talking on his phone and ordering someone to bring him female flats size six and a half.

"Can you walk?" he asked as he finished his conversation.

She nodded but when she took a step, wincing in pain, he simply picked her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing.

"Put me down," she hissed, hiding her face against his white, cotton shirt, hoping no one would recognize her.

"In a minute," he replied calmly as he crossed the street.

Bella felt humiliated and embarrassed, but above all, overwhelmed by his close presence, by his cologne mixed with the clean scent of his sweat, by the sensation of his fingers pressing into the soft skin of her thigh where he held her.

Red faced; she breathed out in relief when he sat her down in the in the far corner of the coffee house.

"Let me see," he said, sitting beside her.

"No!" She stopped his hands, which were already reaching the shining buckle of one shoe. "I'll do it!"

"Be sure to remove them," he told her, standing up. "My bodyguard will bring you another pair of shoes soon."

"It's not necessary," she began, but he sent her a well-leveled stare, silencing her.

"Do you prefer to be carried again by me or perhaps you want to walk barefoot?"

She held his gaze for a moment before covering her face with her hands as a new wave of deep embarrassment flooded her. "I'm such an idiot," she murmured.

To her surprise, she heard him chuckle.

"Believe me, you have nothing on my sister," he said. "She fractured her foot wearing one of those death traps." He gestured to the wedges. "Remove them and I'll get us some coffee."

Frantically she reached for her purse taking out a fifty dollar note and handing it to him. "I'm buying the coffee today."

His eyes narrowed, and he looked furious, glaring at her. "Put it back in your purse," he hissed before striding towards the line.

With a resigned sigh, Bella put the money back in her wallet. Then, she looked down at her poor feet encompassed in the 'death traps' as Cullen referred to her shoes.

Wincing in pain, she removed the wedges, breathing in relief. Her feet didn't look too bad, but the blisters and cuts would take a few days to heal properly.

Cullen was back earlier that she had expected. "I didn't know what you wanted, so I ordered ice coffee for both of us."

She nodded. "Good idea on such a hot day," she agreed. "Thank you."

"How are your feet?" he asked, glancing down under the table where Bella tried desperately to hide her feet under the bench on which she was sitting.

"They're fine. The blisters will heal in a few days," she murmured, sipping on her coffee.

Just her luck! She was sitting in a romantic coffee house, with the hottest guy she had ever met in her life (let's forget for a moment the fact that he was a criminal) speaking about cuts on her feet from wearing shoes that her mother had bought for her.

He leaned forward, his elbows supported on the polished surface of the table. Bella knew that he was about to say something when a huge man walked towards their table. He was very tall and had a body like a wrestler. Wordlessly, he handed Cullen a plastic carrier. When Bella met his gaze, he bowed his head deeply, acknowledged her, but still said nothing.

Inside there was a box with pretty, soft leather, creamed colored ballet flats.

"Here," Cullen handed her the new shoes. "Can we throw these out?" he asked, already reaching for the wedges abandoned on the floor. He gave them to the bodyguard who quickly walked away.

"Thank you," Bella said gratefully, clenching the ballet flats to her chest. "I'll need to use the restroom," she said, standing up. "I have to wash the blood from my feet before I put on the new shoes."

He stood up as well, allowing her to pass. She could feel his eyes on her the entire time as she walked barefoot to the restroom at the back of the coffee shop.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When Bella returned to their table, her feet cushioned in the marvelous flats, Cullen seemed to be lost deep in thought.

"So, how are you feeling?" She asked, taking a seat in front of him.

He looked up at her, his earlier serious face forming into an easy smile. "Fine, a bit weak perhaps, I need to take naps, which I've never done in my life."

She nodded. "You should give yourself some time to recover properly and take things slowly for the next few weeks."

He kept smiling. "You sound like my mum."

"Well, she's right." Bella returned to her coffee, sipping slowly through a straw. "Do you know who shot you?"

He seemed unfazed with her question. "Yes, I do."

"The police have caught him?" she guessed.

He looked at her for a moment before answering. "No, they didn't."

"Are you afraid that he will try again?" That would explain the bodyguard.

"He won't," he paused. "He's dead."

Dead, dead, dead – it echoed in her ears. Why had she asked him about the shooting? Was she that stupid or was the heat getting to her? Shouldn't she know the answer to her question already? It was logical that his family had done everything in their power to make sure that the person who had shot him wasn't a threat to any of them anymore.

She looked down, discreetly checking her watch. Could she go now? Would it be too rude?

Bella heard him sigh - rather audibly. He was running his hand through his already messy mop of red hair.

"Forgive me, I shouldn't have asked you about that," she said sincerely. "That's not my business."

He gave her a tight smile. "Let's talk about something else, shall we?"

She smiled back. "Sure."

"Now, tell me." He leaned forward. "Have you always wanted to be a nurse?"

She laughed. "God no! When I was a child, I got sick at the sight of blood. I once fainted in biology when we drew blood samples."

"What happened to make you choose such a career?" He seemed genuinely interested in her answer.

"When I was in high school, a van drove into me in the school parking lot. I had very serious injuries, and ended up spending six months in the hospital, followed by almost a year of rehabilitation."

He frowned. "Are you all right now?"

"Perfectly, I mean, I still have scars, but they are only visible when I wear bikini, and here." She took his hand, guiding his fingers into her hairline. "Can you feel that?" she asked as he probed her skull.

"Yeah," he nodded, caressing the long scar with his fingertips, causing shivers run down her spine. "I'm so sorry that you were hurt."

"I'm sorrier for my parents than myself to tell you the truth. I think that it was the worst year in their life. What's more, my mum was pregnant at that time. But despite all that stress, Riley was born healthy."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Just Riley, he's almost nine." Her face stretched into a wide smile as she remembered her little brother. She reached for her phone found the photo of her brother, one at the river with his fishing rod. It was taken some time ago when Riley was still had missing his front teeth.

"Cute kid," Cullen said, admiring the photo for a moment before handing the cell back to Bella.

"Yes." Bella looked at the photo once again, before closing her cell. "I miss him. I haven't been to Forks for almost two months now. I really should go home to visit."

"That's quite an age difference between you two," Cullen noted. "It was brave of your parents to decide to have a child with nearly grown daughter."

"Yes, I've never given much thought to that… I guess that my parents put off having children and waited such a long time because they had me when they were young."

"How young?"

"As cliché as it sounds, my mum got pregnant at their senior prom.""

"No!" Cullen gasped exaggeratedly, making Bella roll her eyes.

"Yes, she did," Bella confirmed. "Instead of going to college as they had planned, my mum stayed home with me and my dad enlisted in the army to support both of us. Returning to my choice of career, during my long stay at the hospital, I overcame my aversion to blood. I could watch daily how hard the nurses worked. In my honest opinion, I think they work harder than doctors. I decided that it would be something I would like to do. My parents supported me. My dad thought that I would always find a job as a nurse."

"You have no regrets?"

She hesitated. "No… it's not the easiest job for sure… the hours are long; the responsibility is great, and I won't ever earn as much as a lawyer or a banker. I could not move from bed for two days when a child died in my arms for the first time… Overall, it is an honorable profession, and much needed in society. I must sound very naïve to you… not to mention boring."

He shook his head. "Not at all. I just feel unworthy."

She frowned. "Unworthy?"

"Yes, unworthy of you."

She looked at him, feeling suddenly very uncomfortable. What was she supposed to say to that?

She decided to steer the conversation away from herself. She had never felt comfortable speaking about herself for long periods of time. "What about you? I know what you do, but have you always wanted to do that?"

He cocked his eyebrow. "You know what I do?"

She held his gaze. There was no reason to beat about the bush. It was time to address the white elephant in the room.

"The FBI talked to us about you and your family," she said simply. "The day you were brought into the hospital."

He leaned back in his chair; eyes narrowed. "You believed them?"

"At first, I didn't think about what they had told us. I mean you were just a patient to me. We had had patients from shootings before; I didn't care why they were making such a fuss about you, but later it changed and this morning…" she paused, thinking how not to offend him with what she was about to say.

"Yes," he prompted.

"I googled the Cullens. Wikipedia clearly states that you are one of the ten most powerful mafia families in the USA."

Cullen lowered his gaze and wrapped both of his hands tightly around the tall, empty glass.

"Have you ever thought about doing something different rather than being involved in the family business?"

"I played the piano for fifteen years and I was in premed at college."

"That's interesting, very cool," she said warmly.

She didn't ask why he chose not to become a musician or a doctor. He must have had good reasons. Undoubtedly, he was very intelligent.

"Yeah, I still play," he said smiling, a true joy visibly seen in his eyes.

She was about to say that she would love to hear him play. But bit her tongue at the last moment. That would be a direct invitation on her part to pursue their relationship further, and that she could not do.

She counted to three quietly, before standing up. "I have to go."

He looked up at her, blinking his eyes. "Stay. It's still early."

Shaking her head, she stepped past him. "I can't." She walked out of the coffee house.

"I'll give you a lift," he said when they were outside, clearly wishing for her to stay longer. "My car is just around the corner. We can go somewhere different, wherever you want… cinema, the park, anywhere you want."

He sounded almost desperate, and she hated to tell him no. She wanted to say yes, but she knew that there was no point in giving him hope.

"I can't. I have plans this evening; I need to get ready."

"Plans?" he asked, staring down at, frowning.

In the corner of her eyes, she could see the giant bodyguard who had brought her shoes coming closer.

She looked up at Cullen, into his eyes which looked much darker than in the hospital's light, almost black. He seemed so vulnerable, but she knew that she had to cut him short. It would be cruel to lead him on, and give him false hope.

"I have a date," she said simply.

His frown deepened. "You said you didn't have a boyfriend," he grudgingly reminded her.

"I don't; it's our first official date actually. But, he seems nice. He's an engineer and builds bridges and roads."

Cullen's arms slumped, and he seemed to cringe into his tall frame. "Roads and bridges," he whispered, his voice almost breaking. He looked sad. The sight of him like that almost brought tears to he eyes. It was breaking her heart. She had to get out of there, and the sooner, the better.

"Goodbye Edward," she said, not being able to stand being with him anymore. "Take care of yourself and don't let anyone shoot you again."

He managed a small smile. "I won't."

She reached her hand to his neck and brought his head down to kiss his cheek. Before she knew it, she was in his embrace with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and his face buried in her neck.

"Thank you for the shoes, flowers, coffee and everything," she whispered, before prying his hands away from her waist.

Keeping her eyes on the pavement, she began to walk quickly, almost run, not looking back even once.

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"Ben's sorry he couldn't come," Angela said as Bella put a plate of steaming food in front of her. "He loves your cooking, but he couldn't get out of work this weekend."

"I understand, Angie." Bella sat down, bringing her plate. "I'm happy that you could come."

Angela and Ben were Bella's closest friends in Seattle, the only ones, to tell the truth. She had a hard time trusting strangers and consequently forming new friendships. Once a month or so, they met together, usually at Bella's apartment, where they had a DVD night combined with Bella's cooking.

"Oh, and he will regret that, I can assure you," Angela inhaled the aroma coming from her plate, touching the food with a fork. "And, what's that by the way?"

"It's the first time I made it, but I found it in my grandma Swan's cookbook – there are many recipes in it. She called it, 'pirozhki.'"

"Looks like dumplings to me."

"Yes, it's made similar to ravioli, but the filling is white cheese and potatoes mixed together. I think it's a Russian dish. Charlie once mentioned that his mother's family had come to the USA from Russia just before the Revolution in 1917."

"Sounds strange – white cheese and potatoes."

"For me too, but it's delicious, trust me."

Angel cut one of the dumplings in half and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly. "Good," she mumbled, her mouth full.

"Told you. I will give you some to take home for Ben."

Angela nodded. "He'll appreciate that."

They had finished eating, and while Bella was loading the dishwasher, Angela strolled into the kitchen, and stood next to her.

"So, how did the date with the Latino Lover go?"

Bella burst into laughter. "Who?"

"You know, Carmen's nephew. Is he very macho?"

Bella closed the dishwasher and turned it on. "I don't know he behaved normally; he was nice, polite."

"By the tone of your voice, I take it that nothing will come out of it?"

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. He's away from Seattle on work for the next two weeks. He's building something in Ohio, so I don't have to worry about him for now."

"Shame, I thought that you would tell me if the Latino Lover reputation was justified."

Bella shook her head, smiling. "Sometimes, you're so silly, Angie. I wish your father could hear you now."

"But he can't, come on, let's pick out a movie." Angela walked into the living room with Bella following behind her.

After a ten-minute long argument, they settled on Working Girl with Melanie Griffith. It was time for some woman empowerment.

"I love this song," Angela said as the opening title started.

"Yeah," Bella agreed.

"So…" Angela asked after twenty minutes of watching silently. "What about the Cullen guy?"

"Nothing," Bella whispered.

Angela gave her a long, penetrating look.

"You like him."

Bella crossed her arms over her chest. "So what? I would have to be an idiot to start something up with him."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" Bella glared at her best friend. "Angie, he's a criminal."

"You don't know that for sure, the police released him after all," Angela defended.

"Oh, don't be naïve! Besides, we talked a bit about his family, and he didn't deny anything. He even told me that the man who had shot him was dead. What more proof do you need?"

After this small tirade, Angela went quiet again for a time.

"Look, Bella perhaps you should give it a try," she said after a while. "If he is the first guy whom you like, that you can actually tolerate…. perhaps you should give him a chance. I've always thought that you would end up with someone… well not in the norm."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"Perhaps there was a reason he was shot and under your care, maybe it was destiny. Perhaps you are meant for one another, and you could convince him to change his life, stop being who he is…"

Bella gave her a skeptical look. Angela was on a roll, her expression dreamy. "You don't believe that Angie do you? It sounds like a script for some lame TV movie."

"So will you meet him again? Angela pressed.

"No, I told him in no uncertain terms that I don't want to pursue this."

"How did he react?"

"He seemed so sad, Angie; I felt so guilty. Aghhh!" Bella covered her face with her hands.

Angela touched her arm and stroked it reassuringly. "You must care about him if you're still thinking about it."

"I don't know what's happening to me," she groaned.

"Silly Bella, you're falling in love. At last, after breaking so many hearts."

"I haven't broken any hearts."

"Yeah, right." Angela didn't seem convinced. "I've been there, girl. All those guys you've turned down cold since we were in preschool, face it! You can't possibly be that oblivious."

They hadn't spoken for a while when Bella reached for her cell phone. "Cullen sent me a text this morning."

Angela took her phone and began to read out loud. "I hope that you are well this morning, Bella. Thank you for the lovely meeting and I hope that you will change your mind. I have two tickets for Kelly Clarkson's Seattle concert for the last Friday of the month. It would be an honor if you agreed to accompany me, or you can take the tickets and go with a girlfriend. Take care and stay safe, Edward Cullen."

What followed was a high pitched squeak. "Awww! He's so sweet!" Angela gushed.

Bella frowned. "Yes, but I wonder how he knew that Kelly's my favorite singer."

" Lucky guess?" Angela offered. "Perhaps his sister or some other woman from his family likes her too."

Bella nodded. "Perhaps."

"Well, will you go?"

"No, of course not."

"Come on, Bella, don't be like that! The guy wants to take you to Kelly Clarkson's concert for heaven's sake! What guy would be ready to do that on his own initiative? I bet those tickets are pricey; I bet those seats are near the stage. You could see Kelly from a short distance! How cool is that?"

"Yeah, but how many guns or drugs did he sell in order to earn the money to buy those tickets?" Bella countered seriously.

Angela's arms slumped at this argument and buried herself deeper in the corner of the couch. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted quietly after a moment.

They returned to watching the movie, both grinning at the scene where Harrison Ford removes his shirt in his office.

"Cullen is way hotter than Harrison Ford you know," Angela noted innocently.

Bella sighed. "Yes, I know."

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It was already dark when Bella arrived at her apartment in First Hill. It had been a long, tiresome weekend, but she was glad that she had spent some quality time with her family in Forks.

She took her overnight bag from her car and slung it over her shoulder before she reached into the trunk for the huge basket of food that her parents had insisted she take. They always behaved as if there were no grocery stores in Seattle and she was starving herself by being on her own.

Weaving baskets was her mother's new hobby, apparently. This one filled with the stinky fish her father and brother had caught this weekend, and some strange looking sauces and pickles in heavy glass canning jars, another one of her mother's cooking experiments. As she dragged the basket to the elevator, she saw a notice on it stating that it was out of order.

"Fuck, just my luck," she rarely cursed but she was tired after driving four hours in the rain, not to mention attending yoga class two days in a row that her mother had dragged her to.

Could she just leave the damn basket here? She would surely not touch, not to mention, eat anything from it. Perhaps someone would find it useful and take it?

"Need some help, Miss Swan?"

She looked up to see two men standing next to her. They looked like average guys, but strangely familiar. Were they not the FBI agents that had been at the hospital when Edward was admitted?

"Don't you remember us?" the younger one asked. "We met at the hospital when Edward Cullen was brought there. Agents Miller," he pointed to himself, before gesturing to the older man, "and Ramirez." Both of them flashed their badges.

"Yes, I remember you, but I don't understand…" she said slowly, frowning, looking from one to the other.

"Let's get you upstairs first," Miller said taking the basket from her. "Then, we would like to talk."

Bella nodded following the men to the staircase. She should be happy that someone was carrying the damn basket up the five flights of stairs, but she wasn't. There was only one reason they had come to see her specifically – Edward. Good God, had anything happened to him? No, he must be fine. He said that he would be careful that he would take care of himself! She hadn't had any contact with him in the last few days because she didn't reply to his last text offering to take her to the concert, and he hadn't sent another message since then.

They entered her small apartment, and she invited them into her living room. It was an old-fashioned condo, with the main day area separated from the kitchen.

"May I offer you something, gentleman?" she asked politely. "Tea, water, juice?"

The older man, Ramirez, if she remembered correctly, smiled at her with a hint of kindness. "No, thank you. We don't have much time."

"Let us sit down then," she said gesturing to the couch, choosing an armchair for herself.

"You must guess the reason for our visit Miss Swan," Miller started speaking as they were all seated.

"It has something to do with Edward Cullen."

Ramirez nodded. "Exactly."

"Is he all right?" Bella questioned, looking from one to another.

"He's too good where we're concerned," Miller said. "We are here to talk to you because we noticed a certain change in his let's say extracurricular activities." Then, he took out a rather large envelope, handing it to her. "Have a look."

Bella took the envelope – inside there were about twenty pictures of her and Cullen from the day they had met for coffee. Shots of him carrying her into the coffee shop, of them talking, their faces close, of him touching the scar on her head, and a few of her kissing his cheek when they were saying goodbye, the last one was of him hugging her for dear life. What struck her in those pictures was that she and Edward looked so intimate together, so close, like a real life couple in love. Even from a purely esthetical point of view, they looked good together, his lean, tall body, against her much shorter, softer form, and his bright red hair against her dark hair – it all somehow fit together.

"We found it very surprising to see you with him, Miss Swan," Miller noted, taking the photos from her.

Bella straightened herself. "I've done nothing wrong. It's not a crime to meet a man for coffee."

"No, it's not, but you two look very close in those shots," Ramirez said.

Bella sent him a sharp look. "So? It's no one's business whom I'm meeting with in my free time."

Miller pinned her with his gaze. "Why so defensive Miss Swan?"

"You came here just to show me those pictures?" she demanded.

"No, we would like to ask for your help," Ramirez told her.

"My help?"

"Yes, yours, Isabella," Miller supported. "Would you like to help your country eliminate one of the most dangerous crime families?"

"What do you mean?" she asked slowly.

"We would appreciate if you, as his girlfriend, share with us some information about Mr. Cullen. Anything can be useful to us, the people he meets, some names you may hear while being in the company of his family…."

"Wait, wait!" Bella interrupted him. "You want me to spy on him?"

"I wouldn't put it like that," Miller said quickly. "It's obvious that he likes and trusts you. The behavior he displayed in front of that coffee shop is very uncharacteristic for him, I can assure you."

She jumped to her feet, and her fists clenched. "I won't spy on anyone! And yes, we met once for coffee but I was not going to meet him again. I'm not his girlfriend, nor do I intend to be, so the case is closed, end of discussion."

"Calm down, Miss Swan. We're only talking." Ramirez motioned for her to sit down. "I think that your imagination makes you see things too darkly. We only want you to date Cullen for a little while and tell us about the things you may notice in his close environment. As my partner has already mentioned, every, piece of information no matter how small may prove to be of great value to us."

"No, that's out of the question! I won't do something like that. I don't support the mafia, but they have done nothing to me. I won't spy on anyone. I'm a registered nurse, not a spy."

The men exchanged looks. "You would be doing a duty for your country, and be compensated considerably in exchange for your cooperation," Ramirez said.

"No, my answer is no, and I would like you to leave," she said, standing up, walking to the front door.

"Not so fast, Miss Swan!" Miller's voice stopped her. "If you don't care about serving your country then perhaps you care about your father's reputation, about his future free of imprisonment?"

Slowly, she turned to face him. "What about my father?"

"Charles Swan, ex-marine and a war hero, shot in Afghanistan in 1989, after he recovered, he joined the police force, quickly advancing to the chief of police in Forks, retired quite suddenly, two years ago. Did you ever wonder why your father retired just like that, out o of blue?"

"My father has heart problems," she replied. "The job was too stressful for him."

"No, Miss Swan, the reason was quite different," Ramirez came to stand on her other side. "We found out that your father had helped to hide Emmett, the younger son of Carlisle Cullen while he was in trouble because of his illegal activities. Your father allowed him to live in his house for nearly six months. That was a brilliant plan - no one was looking at the respected chief of police's home."

"That's not true," she spat. "No stranger has ever lived with us!"

"Ever?" Miller pressed. "What about the time you were in the hospital for the most part of your junior year of high school, and later when you went for rehabilitation in that expensive medical centre in Boston? Who do you think paid for all of that? Do you really believe that a policeman and schoolteacher could afford such excellent and very expensive medical treatment based on their modest heath insurance?"

Bella felt her face growing hot. "That's not true!"

"Ask your parents Miss Swan where they got the money to pay for your medical care. You are a nurse; you know that you would most likely have been a cripple today if not for the knee and hip operations that you underwent. A world famous professor from Switzerland was brought to Seattle to perform them. Who brought him to America? Huh? Someone, who was very rich and influential."

Pointing to the door, and her breathing labored she cried, "Get out of here, now! Get out of my apartment!"

"We will go, but we will return. We're giving you a week to think about our proposition. We do understand that it must have come as quite a shock to you," Miller said, his mocking tone imitating compassion. Bastard.

At last they were gone, and Bella slipped to the floor by the front door. Could it all be true?

She didn't sleep one minute that night, battling with her thoughts.

_ Thank you for reading and commenting!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this chapter!**

"What are you doing here, Bells?" Angela asked, walking into the break room. "Your shift ended over an hour ago."

"What?" Bella looked up at her friend from her place on the couch where she was sitting still dressed in her scrubs.

Angela knelt next to her. "Are you all right? You've not been yourself for the last few days. And you're not looking good."

Bella stood up. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."

"Is it about that Cullen guy?" Angela asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," Bella admitted, her tone sounding defeated.

"What did he do to you?" Angela demanded sharply.

Bella shook her head. "Nothing, Angie. I have to deal with all that on my own."

"Deal with what? You're scaring me, Bella Swan."

"I shouldn't have mentioned anything to you," she said, waving her hand. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine, and I just need to rethink a few things."

Angela didn't look as if she believed her. "Look, I have to run now, but I'll call you later so we can talk. Remember that you can always count on Ben and me."

Bella smiled, hopefully putting an optimistic expression on her face. As she watched Angela leaving, she knew that she could never talk with Angela and Ben about the whole FBI affair. For the last three days, she had been thinking, crying, and barely sleeping. Countless times, she'd reached for her phone, and dialed her father's number. But in the end, she'd never called. The last thing she wanted was to upset her father. She loved Charlie, and he was her hero. She was without a doubt, daddy's little girl. If he had done what the FBI had accused him of, he had only done it for her. She had no problem believing that her father would be ready to sacrifice his own safety, his career, his good name in order to help his daughter, even if it meant being involved with the mafia.

She was running out of time. It was already Wednesday evening, and the FBI had said that she had one week. Only four days were remaining for her to decide.

Taking out her phone, she closed herself in the small restroom at the back of the locker room. Sitting on the toilet in one of the stalls, with her heart racing, she dialed the number.

After three rings, he picked up. "Bella, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," she replied, her voice quiet.

"You've changed your mind about the concert?" He sounded so happy. "That's great! I must admit that I was beginning to lose hope."

"Yes, it's about concert… Edward. I mean can we meet earlier?" She remembered that the concert was in a little over a week.

There was silence on the other side. "Baby is everything all right?" he asked, his tone laced with worry.

"I have to meet you, please," she paused, trying to control her voice from breaking. "Can we meet? As soon as po…"she choked a sob, "possible. I have tomorrow free."

"Are you crying?" he demanded. "Shit, Bella don't scare me. What's going on?"

"Just meet me, please," she begged.

"What happened?" he insisted. "Where are you?"

"I can't tell you," she whispered. "I'm afraid that they're listening to my phone calls." Just as she'd said that, she realized that if they were listening to her calls, she'd just made a complete idiot of herself. And they wanted her to be a spy? She was a terrible liar.

"Who? Who's listening to you?"

She let out a shaking breath. "The FBI came to my apartment a few days ago and…" she began, but he interrupted her.

"Where are you?" his tone of voice sounded so cold and emotionless that a cold shiver ran down her back. She'd never heard him talk like that. "Bella, where are you?" he repeated slowly.

"Still at work, I finished my shift…"she wanted to say hour ago but he interrupted her again.

"Wait for me there; I'll be in front of the main entrance in half an hour." With that, he disconnected the call.

She stared at the phone for a minute or so.

Edward had said that he would be here in thirty minutes, meaning that she had some time to change her clothes, and calm down a bit.

Twenty - five minutes later she walked out of the elevator, and she could see him standing on the other side of the glass door, wearing a dark suit.

Inwardly bracing herself, she began walking, afraid of the moment when he would notice her. He sounded angry on the phone. Was he furious with her?

But when he saw her, his expression told her otherwise. He was upset and worried, but not angry.

"Baby," he said, pulling her into his arms. She didn't protest as she buried her face into his chest. She inhaled slowly, relishing in the feeling of safety and protection.

"Baby," he repeated, cupping her face between his hands, staring down at her. "Are you all right? God, I can see that no, you are not alright. What did those bastards do to you?"

"I'm fine," she managed a small smile. "It's just…" her voice cracked and she could not finish.

"Shush," he bent his head down, kissing her forehead. "Everything will be all right. Don't worry a thing. Let's go. We can't talk here."

He gathered her to his side, under his arm, guiding them to the other side of the street. "Your car?" he asked.

"I usually walk to work," she said.

Soon, she was in the back seat of the car, the bodyguard whom she'd seen before was behind the steering wheel, and Edward was beside her, his arms wrapped around her.

She closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. It was good not to think or worry even for a few minutes.

All too soon they stopped, and Edward was pulling her out of the car. She looked up to see that they were in front of one of the old factories that had been converted into luxurious apartments.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"My flat," he said as he took her hand, leading her inside.

"I can't," she stopped, rooted in place.

"Bella," he looked down at her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They may be watching your apartment, and I won't allow them to bother you. They won't come here, trust me."

She hesitantly looked around.

"It's just temporary until we explain everything," he told hear. "And I swear on my family's health and well-being that you'll be completely safe here. I won't touch you."

He pulled her hand and dragged her to the elevator. She still wasn't certain if it was a good idea to stay here, but she was too exhausted to argue about.

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Bella opened her eyes, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. It was much, much too high over her head. She closed her eyes, thinking that she was still dreaming and opened them again. Nope, nothing had changed.

She sat up, and looked around - she was in a strange bedroom, with one wall that had floor length, huge windows. Edward had put her to sleep last night, giving her his t-shirt after she had literally drowned his living room in her tears.

She had told him everything, crying for most of the time. Edward had confirmed that Charlie had performed some favors for his family, but he hadn't said much more. He'd been very vague. When she had sobbed to him that her father would go to jail now, he'd told her that nothing like that would happen and that he'd deal with matters, whatever that meant.

He must think that she was hysterical after her display of high emotions yesterday.

She rubbed her hands over her face, and her head was pounding. She felt like shit and probably looked like it too. She always looked like crap when she'd been crying the previous day.

Again, she looked around the room and located the large clock on the wall. Crap, it was almost midday!

She scrambled from the bed and padded to the chair where she had put her clothes the previous day. Her purse and shoes were still there, but no sign of her t-shirt, jeans skirts and cotton blazer.

What had he done with her clothes?

Quietly, she opened the door and walked into a huge living space. Was there only one bedroom in the loft? Had he slept in the same bed as she had? He'd sworn he wouldn't touch her. She still had her bra and panties on, and she'd slept like a log, so perhaps she could trust him after all.

"Edward?" she called, taking a few steps forward.

"He's not here," she heard a female voice and saw Esme Cullen walking towards her.

"Oh, my poor dear." The older woman opened her arms to her and enveloped her in a hug.

Bella blinked over her shoulder and returned the embrace shyly. The woman smelled amazing.

"How are you?" Edward's mother asked.

"Fine, thank you; I just have a slight headache."

Esme patted her cheek and smoothed her hair. "Come," she said and led her into the kitchen area, sitting her at a long, oak table.

She gave her Advil and juice, which Bella swallowed gratefully. "Thank you," she croaked and cradled her head in her hands, waiting for the terrible headache to go away.

"Where's Edward?" she asked a few minutes later. Mrs. Cullen was standing by the stove, making what looked like pancakes.

"He's dealing with things. He asked me to come and stay with you until he returns," she said, putting a plate of pancakes in front of Bella.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen, but I'm not hungry." She massaged her midsection. "My stomach is in knots."

"I know, I can imagine," the woman gave her a compassionate look. "Try to eat something, child. And please, call me Esme."

Obediently, Bella took a small bite chewed slowly.

"What a terrible, terrible story," Esme murmured. "You are a brave girl, Bella Swan."

Bella looked up at her sharply. Had Edward told her what had happened with the FBI? He must have told her something when he asked her to come here.

"I couldn't find my clothes," she said, not ready to speak about her father and the entire situation with anyone except Edward. No matter how nice she'd always been to her, Esme was still a virtual stranger.

"Oh, I hope you don't mind, but I washed and ironed them. They looked so … crumpled."

Bella gaped at her. That was weird. "No, I don't mind, but you didn't need to do that."

"I noticed that you had your underwear on, so I sent someone to bring you a new pair. Everything is in the bathroom, waiting for you."

Bella blinked. That was creepy. Had Edward's mother checked whether or not she had had her bra and panties on as she'd slept in her son's bed?

"Thank you again, Mrs… I mean Esme. I'll just go shower now." Not to mention, I need to pee. "I haven't gotten a chance to use the bathroom since I left work yesterday."

"You go, go," Esme smiled at her. "Take your time, dear."

With as much dignity as she could muster, hoping that the t-shirt she had on covered her ass well, Bella hurried to the bathroom.

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"I could get used to this," Bella jumped at the words murmured just above her ear in a familiar baritone.

Dropping the knife she'd been using to dice the green cucumber, she turned around.

Edward Cullen was smiling down at her. This man was just too … too much of everything, definitely too handsome and too distracting. She had to work hard to act like an intelligent human being in his company and not some babbling, gibberish talking idiot.

"You scared me. I didn't hear you come in," she said, hopefully keeping her tone even and matter of fact.

He took a step forward and pressed her lightly to the kitchen island. "What are you making?" he asked, glancing past her.

Turning rather abruptly with her back to him, she prayed he didn't notice her reddening face. Why did she blush every time he was close to her? Why couldn't she control herself? He wasn't even pushing that hard against her… it was just light touching. Ugh… she was getting warm inside.

"Lasagna and salad," she replied, attempting to sound cool and composed. "The lasagna is already in the oven and I'm just finishing the salad." She hoped that he didn't mind her cooking in his kitchen without permission. "I hope that you don't mind," she apprehensibly added.

.

She felt his warm hands settle on her hipbones as he pulled her closer, her back against his chest.

"Didn't you hear me? I said that I could get used to this." His hands moved up to her waist and squeezed on both sides. "Easily." His lips traced along the nape of her neck and gave her a tingling sensation from her head to toes. She had to bite hard on her lower lip, to stop herself from letting out a moan.

Thankfully, he took pity on her and stepped back. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as he opened the fridge, and saw that it was fully stocked. "I'm surprised that you found all the ingredients. The last time I checked, I only had a few cans of soda. Must be my mum. She's always complaining that I have only light in there."

"Esme has been very kind to me today." Bella returned to dicing the cucumber, grateful that she had a few moments to compose herself after his ruthless assault on her senses. "Your sister called earlier and your mum had to run."

Edward walked over to the counter and stood next to her with his hands crossed over his chest. "I asked her to come over to be with you today. I had business to take care of, and I didn't want you to wake up in a strange apartment all alone."

She nodded her head, without interrupting her work. She wanted to ask about the business he'd dealt with today, but reasoned with herself that she could delay it for a little while longer. Her mother had always waited till her father had a full stomach before having a serious conversation with him.

She threw the diced cucumber into a bowl and wiped her hands with a paper towel that she'd found on the counter. "Your mum laundered and even ironed my clothes when I was sleeping," she confessed. "She bought me a new set of underwear too, just my size."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Sounds just like her."

"I'm grateful to her, but it was a bit awkward, I must say."

"She probably checked whether you had your underwear on when she found you sleeping in my bed this morning, wearing my t-shirt," he told her calmly.

She gave him her full attention. "She did?"

He shrugged his broad shoulders and pinned her with his gaze. "If you hadn't been wearing any panties, she would have had a church booked by now for a Christening in nine months," he said, not battling an eyelash.

Bella's eyes widened. "What?" Had she heard him correctly?

"She wants to become a grandmother very badly," he clarified. "She's been after both me and my brother to have children for quite some time. And she likes the idea of you being the mother of said grandchildren."

Her mouth fell open as she frantically tried to come up with something smart to say, but as usual, at such times she could not think of anything.

"When will dinner be ready?" his question rescued her from gaping at him like a fish out of water.

"Fifteen minutes," she squeaked.

"Good. I'm starving. I'll go shower. It's been a long day and night."

Bella breathed out in relief as he walked away, loosening his tie and removing the jacket on his way to the bedroom.

She quickly finished with the salad and busied herself with putting the kitchen back in order just in time before the oven beeped signaling that the lasagna was cooked.

He strode into the room just as she was putting the food on a long, wooden table. It looked as if it had been cut from one piece of a huge tree. He looked great, dressed in worn jeans and a grey t-shirt, and his hair wet and combed back.

She placed a sizeable piece of lasagna on his plate before taking a smaller one for herself.

Taking a bite, she decided that it had turned out pretty well even though she didn't have all of the herbs and spices she usually liked to add.

Edward ate with gusto and said nothing before he finished a third helping. He dabbed his lips with a napkin and sat back in his chair, and stared at her.

She gave him a questioning look.

"I think I won't let you go now."

"Now?"

"Now that I know what a great cook you are."

She sent him a genuine smile. "I'm glad that you liked it."

He reached for her hand and placed a soft kiss on top of it. "Thank you for dinner."

"Taking an example from your brother?" she teased, remembering how Emmett had kissed her hand when they had been introduced.

Her remark put a heavy frown on his face, and his eyes were speculative. "For your information, he has a girlfriend."

She lifted her chin up. "And why are you telling me that?" she asked and held his gaze.

Edward closed his eyes for a moment, saying nothing. "I'll clean up," he spoke at last. "Rest now. You've done enough."

She gave him a doubtful look because he didn't look like someone who cleaned the kitchen very much. The apartment was pristine, but she was almost certain that he had a cleaning service that came a few times a week to keep it that way.

Obediently, she walked into the living area and sat down on the huge L-shaped sofa. She thought she heard some muffled cursing coming from the kitchen- perhaps he was having trouble with the dishwasher. He was probably used to leaving all the dirty dishes in the sink for the cleaning lady to deal with later.

She got settled more comfortably, looking up at the space around her. She wasn't sure whether she truly liked it or not. Without a doubt, it looked great, spectacular even with its tall windows, and sophisticated and worldly ambience. But, it didn't feel like home. Everything was bare and white, the sparse furniture white or grey, and the floor even though warm under her bare feet resembled concrete.

"Would you like some coffee?" she heard from the kitchen.

"Yes, please with half milk," she cried back.

Soon, he joined her on the couch, placing a tray that held two coffees on the fragile looking glass table.

She took a long sip. "Good coffee," she commented.

"That's what I can do in the kitchen. Coffee," he clarified.

"You've never wanted to learn more? Lots of men like to cook nowadays."

His eyes settled on her, his expression unreadable. "They do?"

She nodded. "Sure." She remembered how Pedro had told her of his love for all things cook wise. She wasn't, of course, certain if he hadn't been exaggerating. "What about college?" she asked. "You never cooked for yourself when you moved away from your parents?"

He shook his head, his expression almost grave. "Take outs."

Bella put her half empty mug back on the table and stared down at her jean skirt. She seemed to have upset him somehow with her questions about his cooking skills. But enough of small talk, they had more important matters to discuss.

"Can I go home now?" she asked, meeting his eyes.

"No, that's not a good idea."

"But, I have to work this weekend," she said, getting slightly alarmed. Did he want her to stay longer? She didn't look forward to running into the FBI again, but she wanted to return home.

"I'll drive you to work and I think that you'll probably be able to go to your apartment after your shift."

"Probably?"

"We're hoping to make a deal with the FBI this weekend so they will leave you and your family alone."

"What deal?"

He hesitated, eyeing her carefully. "Let's just say that we are giving them something they want. Not as much as they wanted you working for them to get to me, but close enough."

"What's that?" she asked, already suspecting that he wouldn't tell her.

"The names won't tell you anything," he dismissed her smoothly.

"Are you sure that they will accept this offer of yours?"

"Not one hundred percent sure, but once they see that you are out of their reach, they would be stupid to reject our proposal."

She bit her lower lip and worry squeezed her heart. "Am I out of their reach?"

"I think they are already aware that you came straight to me with their offer. They should have no doubt now where your loyalties lay."

She frowned. "I have no loyalties," she insisted. "I don't want anything to happen to my father, especially because he did things in the past to help me out when I was sick. At the same time, I won't spy on anyone." She looked straight into his eyes. "Especially on you. You've done nothing wrong to me. Besides, I'm the last person who could pretend to date someone just to get something from them... it's disgusting."

He was silent for a long moment, as if he was digesting her words before he lifted his hand to trace her cheekbone with the pads of his fingers. "I appreciate that you came to me with all this."

Ignoring the shivers that were induced by his touch, she said, "That wasn't an easy decision."

"I can imagine." His hand dropped from her face. "You're brave, honest and loyal."

She shot him a sharp look. "I'm far from brave and if my sobbing on your chest yesterday is not the best evidence of that I don't know what is. I may be honest, but I'm loyal only to myself, my friends and my family."

"My family is taken with you very much," he said. "My mum loves you already while my father would like to meet you. And trust me, he's not the easiest person to impress."

She vehemently shook her head. "I don't think meeting your father is the best idea."

He stared at her intently as if he wanted to look through her. "You think that, huh?"

"Yes, I do think that," she said quickly, avoiding his eyes, reaching for her now cold coffee.

_Thank you for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this chapter!**

Bella stepped closer to Edward as the crowd poured out of the club onto the street.

His arm was around her, and she put her head on his chest, closing her eyes briefly.

"Tired?" he asked, his breath fanning her temple.

She looked up. "That was an emotional week."

Someone had pushed her from behind, earning himself a scowl from Edward. His arm wrapped around her even more protectively.

"Did you like the concert?" she asked curiously. He was a professionally trained musician in her opinion; after all, he'd taken piano lessons for twelve years. She knew that people like him often looked down at pop singers.

"Surprisingly yes," he admitted. "Ms. Clarkson can truly sing."

Bella wanted to ask how he'd guessed that Kelly Clarkson was her favorite singer, but she was distracted when Edward pulled at her hand.

"There's the car," he said, leading them across the street to the awaiting black BMW.

Willingly, she snuggled against him in the backseat. For the entire evening, she had had something screaming in the back of her mind that she shouldn't be spending the evening with him and that she shouldn't have agreed to another date.

It was becoming harder and harder to resist him.

Besides, she felt that she had to repay him somehow after he'd protected her and her family. It had been a week since she'd told him about the FBI's proposition, and she'd neither heard from nor seen any of the agents since. Edward never had as much as hinted that he expected something from her as a return for the favor. Still, she felt that accepting his invitation to dinner and a concert was the least that she could do.

Standing in the circle of his arms during the concert, allowing, even welcoming his embraces and tender kisses placed on the top of her head, her forehead or temple had not in her initial plans. She'd fully intended to keep a cool distance. In the end, it was she who not only willingly accepted, but also sought the physical closeness this evening.

She was so weak and pathetic - she should be stronger, but he smelled so good, and had felt strong and warm… She had had no will to pull away from him. She knew that eventually she would have to pay dearly for her weakness.

"We're here sleepy head," he whispered, shaking her gently.

"Do you want to come up?" she asked, feeling her face turning red. "For coffee or tea if you want," she added hurriedly. "I know it's late…"

He interrupted her, putting a finger on her lips. "Let's go."

As he was helping her out of the car, she turned to the driver. "Thank you for the ride," she said politely. The man only nodded his head. It was the same bodyguard who followed Edward everywhere, the one who'd brought her new shoes when she'd hurt her feet.

When she was on the pavement, in front of the entrance to her building, Edward ducked back into the car, saying something to the driver, she thought in Italian.

"I didn't know that you can speak Italian," she noted when the car had disappeared from their sight. "I thought that you were Irish."

He cocked one eyebrow. "You think that Irish people are unable to speak Italian?"

"What did you tell him?" she asked.

He held her gaze. "I told him to go home, and not to wait for me."

"I didn't invite you to have sex," she blurted out.

He leaned forward, smirking. "Are you certain of that?"

"Yes, damn it," she replied angrily, her fists clenched. Cocky bastard.

He lifted his hands in a calming gesture. "Easy, tiger. I think that I've proved myself that I can be a gentleman. Nothing will happen unless you allow it."

She eyed him shrewdly even though she knew that he'd earned her trust already. The few days, in which she'd spent at his apartment, hiding from the FBI, he'd been a perfect gentleman. Even though, he could have done anything he wanted to her, and no one would have helped her. Instead, Edward had slept on the couch while she'd taken possession of his very comfortable bed. Moreover, he had limited the physical contact between them to gentle touches and a few reassuring hugs.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she said. "My couch isn't the most comfortable one."

He grinned at her. "I will be fine."

They entered the building and found the elevator broken.

"Does it happen often?" he asked as they were climbing the stairs.

"Unfortunately, yes. It's an old building, from the 1950s," she explained. "But, I fell in love with it the first time I saw it."

"Are you renting?"

"No, I bought my flat," she admitted proudly. "I've been living here since last January. I had some savings, and my parents gave me the rest for a down payment. The mortgage rate is not that much higher than what I was paying before when I was renting."

"It must be difficult for you being on your own," he observed.

She straightened up, squaring her shoulders. "I'm fine. It can be tight some months because I still have my student's loans to pay, but I'm doing ok."

He put his hand on the nape of her neck, stroking gently. "I didn't want to imply that you're unable to take care of yourself."

"Good, because I'm doing just fine," she told him, attacking the next flight of stairs with vengeance.

As she opened the door to her place and let him in, she couldn't miss that he wasn't particularly impressed with the interior.

She looked around at her home. She'd put so much work and effort in making it nice and homely. The floor was old, but had authentic wood floorboards which were previously hidden under the filthy wall to wall carpet in some ugly harsh 70s yellow-brown-orange design. After a thorough cleaning, she'd darkened the floor herself into a beautiful mahogany color. Her dad had come from Forks for a week to paint the walls into a light vanilla color. She had had no money left to remodel the bathroom and kitchen even though they needed it the most. However, she'd scrubbed them clean and put a fresh coat of paint everywhere that was possible.

She was so proud of the final result, but as she followed Edward's eyes as they stopped at the crooked floor, mismatched, had painted furniture she had taken from her parents' basement and the cheap IKEA sofa, she felt less and less sure of herself.

"You must have put in a lot of work on your place," he commented.

She nodded. "You cannot even imagine. There were ugly orange carpets covering the floor and headache inducing flower wallpapers. I plan to redesign the kitchen and bathroom as soon as I have more savings," she added.

"It looks great," he assured her but it came out flat. "It does," he stressed, seeing her expression.

She forced a smile. "What would you like to drink? Tea, coffee?" she asked.

"A glass of warm milk, if you have it," he replied.

"Ok," she said, not expecting that answer from him.

He followed her into the kitchen. "I wouldn't be able to fall asleep if I have something with caffeine so late."

"I understand," she said, taking out the milk from the fridge.

She heard his footsteps as he stood behind her. "I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that your place is disappointing," he murmured.

"That's ok," she said softly, pouring the milk into a small pot.

"I simply think that you deserve a better place."

She looked up at him, taking her eyes from the boiling milk for a moment. "I don't need more," she said honestly. "I mean that it's all good for now. It would be nice to have a garden, or at least a balcony to grow some flowers and herbs, especially in summer like now, but I can't complain." She reached to take out the cookies she'd baked this morning. "Sure, in the future, if I start a family, a house would be more suitable. I can't imagine dragging a stroller up five flights of stairs when the elevator is not working again."

His arms came around her, causing her to drop the jar of cookies with a quiet bang.

"Would you like a house near town with a big garden?" he asked, squeezing her to him.

Slowly she turned around in his arms. "Edward, that's not…" she didn't finish because he silenced her with his mouth.

Bella closed her eyes, accepting the kiss and returning it, her hands combing and pulling at his thick hair.

He pushed into her, pinning her to the cabinets behind her, and a moment later she was lifted up on the counter, and he was standing between her legs.

Their faces were at the same level now, and he stared intensely into her eyes. He put his hands on her knees, and moved them up under her skirt.

"Ahh," she squeaked as he pulled her closer, firmly holding her thighs.

His lips were sucking on the skin of her neck, and she could feel his hardened penis rubbing against her sex. Even through his jeans, her panties and the thin material of the skirt, it felt heavenly, causing a warm wetness to pool rapidly between her legs.

Kissing his way down, he began nipping and nibbling on her chest through her shirt. He wasn't even touching her breasts; his hands now firmly set on her hips under her skirt, his fingers playing with the lace on her panties.

She put her hands on his shoulders, panting loudly as he kept nuzzling her chest. If the sensation was so mind-blowing when she had still her clothes covering her, how much better would it feel if he lifted her t-shirt up, pulled her bra cup away and took her nipple in his mouth? She moaned loudly at the mental image she had created in her mind.

She knew this was bad, very bad, but it felt too good to make him stop. If he wanted to pull her panties down now, she wasn't sure whether she would have told him no or not.

She was about to reach for his hand to guide it under her shirt and bra on her bare breasts when a rather unpleasant smell reached her nose.

Sniffing, she opened her eyes. "Oh, shit," she exclaimed, seeing that the milk was boiling over, not much left in the small pot, by now most of it burning the cooktop.

"Edward, stop, the milk has boiled over," she tried to divert his attention from her chest, pushing him away from her, trying to free herself.

"Huh?" he looked up at her. Despite the burning emergency in the kitchen, she had to smile at him. He looked cute, his cheeks red, and his freckles even more visible, but the best was his hair, sticking out in all directions.

"Let me go, the milk," she looked pointedly towards the stove.

Slowly, he followed her gaze, instantly letting her go as soon as he saw what had happened.

Bella jumped lightly to the floor, barely standing straight, her knees weak and refusing to support her weight.

"Well, you won't drink milk tonight," she told him, putting the burned pot in the sink, wrinkling her nose at the smell. "That was the last I had."

She ran her hand over her face. "Can you please take those cookies in the living room?" she asked. "I'll make some weak tea and clean this mess up."

She didn't dare to look at him and turned around. She desperately needed a few minutes alone to compose herself and come to her senses.

"Sure, love," he said in a bright voice.

She melted again for a short moment when he kissed her shoulder, giving her behind a squeeze at the same time.

Bella let out a loud sigh of relief as he walked away.

Her heart was still racing as she scrubbed the cooktop from the burned milk.

What was she doing?

Had she completely lost her mind?

She was allowing him closer and closer…Didn't she remember who he was? What he did for a living?

The worst was that she wasn't sure whether she still cared.

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She woke up suddenly, sitting up. Her moves hindered by the heavy arm draped over her waist.

Glancing sideways, she saw pouty lips, red cheeks and messy red hair. He looked like an angel snuggled into her pillow.

Feeling the pressure on her bladder, she climbed out of bed.

As she did her business in the bathroom, she decided that it would be best just to return to bed. It was seven on a Saturday morning; there was no point in starting the day yet. Especially after the very late night she'd had yesterday.

She stood by the bed for a long moment, shamelessly watching him. He was turned on his stomach now, hogging most of the bed covers to himself. It seemed unreal to have him here in her bed.

They had talked till past two in the morning. The make out session hadn't repeated itself; they'd just talked. He had been closely

guarded though; he'd told her nothing about his other life. He was very good at evading her questions, direct or indirect. She'd ended up mostly talking about herself.

Careful not to wake him, she climbed back into bed and laid on her side, with her hands folded under her cheek, and remembered how she'd invited him to her bed last night. Her couch was much too small for his long frame. He'd seemed to know without explaining that she'd just wanted to sleep. She'd thought that it would be very awkward to sleep with an adult man in one bed, but she'd slept like a baby. Perhaps because she'd been so tired.

Closing her eyes, she'd remembered his scowl when she'd given him the pajama pants and t-shirt to sleep in. Her father had left them after he'd stayed with her last winter, and had helped her with redecorating the flat. At last, she'd taken pity on him and told him that they belonged to her father. She'd seriously doubted whether he'd have taken the clothes if she'd told him that they'd belonged to an ex-boyfriend. Perhaps she should have tried to imply something like that… even though it wasn't the truth, but just for fun, to have seen his reaction. Well… probably not so much fun.

"You must be cold, come here," she heard a raspy voice coming from behind her. An arm wrapped around her waist and moved her effortlessly to the middle of the bed.

"What time is it?" he asked, cuddling to her from behind.

"Seven," she answered sleepily.

"Let's sleep some more," he murmured, and she couldn't agree more, her eyes shutting on their own.

She was wide awake a moment later when his hand unceremoniously slipped under her t-shirt, and cupped her breast.

"Edward?" she whispered, but the only answer that she received was a soft snoring.

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She wasn't sure how she'd managed to fall asleep with his hand on her breast, but when she'd woken up again, it was nearly eleven, and something smelled really bad. The smell was much worse than yesterday's burned milk.

Leaping from the bed, she ran to the kitchen and saw the smoke invading her apartment. Was there a fire in the building?

On the threshold to the kitchen, she first saw Edward, standing in a cloud of smoke, and then heard him coughing and cursing wildly, holding a burned frying pan in his hand.

"What did you do?" she cried, running to open a window, covering her mouth and nose with her hand.

"I tried to make you breakfast," he explained as she took the pan from him, and put it in the sink under cold water.

"Rather tried to burn my apartment down," she stated, looking at the devastation in her kitchen. Judging by the egg shells abandoned on the counter, his initial plan had been to make an omelet or scrambled eggs.

"Sorry," he whispered guiltily.

"Did you put some grease in the pan before frying?" she asked.

He blinked. "What?"

"Like butter. Did you heat some butter in the pan before you put the eggs in it?"

He stared at her as if she had grown two heads. "No… I didn't know that you had to," he stammered. "I thought that it was one of those pans… you know … that you just put the food in and it fries itself. I saw something like that on TV once…" He scratched his head. "I think."

Bella stepped back to the window and took a deep breath of fresh air. She needed to calm down, even though it was a very difficult at the moment.

"Sorry, baby," he said, trying to hug her to him, but she stepped back away from him.

"Just go to the living room and sit there, please," she said slowly, trying to control her anger. "I need to clean up in here. God, it will take days before that horrible stench is gone! And, everything was freshly painted just a few months ago!"

"I'm sorry," he repeated, hanging his head.

She nodded, not looking at him. "Just go."

For the next half an hour, she concentrated on bringing her kitchen to the state it'd been before. She had to throw away the pan though – it couldn't be rescued. As she worked, her anger diminished. She knew that he'd meant well, but she hoped, in the future; he wouldn't try to do things he knew nothing about.

"Bella." She looked up to see him dressed in yesterday's clothes, peeking shyly into the kitchen. "I'll go now. Again, I'm so sorry for this disaster. Let me replace everything that I ruined."

Instantly, the guilt hit her right in the heart. He looked so contrite. She'd been too harsh on him, much too harsh. Did she yell at him? Yes, she did yell. God, she was such a horrible person.

With a smile, she put aside the mop she was using to clean the floor and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry too," she said. "I overreacted. As for replacing anything, forget about it, that pan was old, and I was going to buy a new one, anyway. However, you can take me out for breakfast if you want."

The grin returned instantly to his handsome face, and he was nodding his head eagerly at her. At that moment, he'd looked like an overgrown five-year-old.

"I'll be ready in twenty minutes. I need to take a shower," she said as she walked past him.

He was still standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Wait for me in the living room," she said, guiding him in the direction of the couch. "Turn on the news or a show to watch," she said. "And don't go anywhere," she stressed the last word.

It was definitely better to keep him away from the kitchen.

"Again, I'm sorry for the breakfast disaster," Edward said as they sat at a cozy table by the bay window.

Bella rolled her eyes, swallowing the last piece of mouthwatering frittata. "Please stop. Nothing happened, and I totally overreacted. Just don't try to do it again."

He sulked. "I wanted to impress you. You spoke about contemporary men who can cook."

"Edward, I was just making conversation," she pointed out gently. "And trust me, in comparison to other men you have nothing to worry about. You make up for your lack of cooking skills in other departments."

She took a long sip of the orange juice and watched him carefully. A cocky expression was back on his face. She shouldn't have boosted his ego even more, but she was fed up with his self-castigating.

"This is a great place, by the way," she noted. "I've never been here before. I usually visit the few places close to my flat or the hospital. The breakfast was yummy. Thank you for treating me."

"My family owns half of it, actually," he revealed. "And you're very welcome."

Bella looked around the spacious, airy eatery. "It's nice. I didn't know you were interested in restaurants."

"We own businesses in many different fields."

"Like what?"

"Real estate, night clubs, construction, some restaurants like this one, and broadly in the entertainment industry."

Wow. He'd just told her more about his professional life than ever before. It seemed that he was more prone to open up when he didn't feel cornered.

"All of those business must keep you very busy," she commented in a neutral tone.

He shrugged. "Emmett helps a lot. Besides, I don't work nearly as hard as you do."

The memory of Emmett brought a smile to her face. "Your brother seems to be fun to be around," she said, but seeing the instant scowl on his face, she cried, "Oh, come on! I'm not saying that because I'm attracted to him in any way."

"What about that other guy?"

"What guy?" she asked, frowning.

"The one you were going on a date with when we had coffee a few weeks ago," he clarified coldly.

"Oh, Pedro… I only met him that one time, and he was ok, I mean he was really nice, but I kept thinking about you all the time when I was with him," she admitted. "It wouldn't be fair to him… besides, he's not in Seattle at the moment. His company is building something in Ohio."

"That's good to hear," he said gruffly, but she could see that he was pleased with what he'd heard.

"So, what are our plans for the rest of the weekend?" he asked, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Well, my plans resolve around mostly sleepless night spent by the beds of my patients."

His scowl returned in full force. "You're working again this weekend? How many shifts did you work last week? Three? You're working too hard. Do you need money? Is that the reason you are putting in so many hours? "

She raised her hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey, wait a minute! You're jumping to conclusions. I traded shifts because I needed next week completely free. My brother is coming to stay with me on Tuesday, and I'll have to take care of him while he's here. I can't go to work and leave him alone in my apartment. He's only eight years old."

Edward seemed to relax, leaning back in his seat. "How long is he going to stay with you?"

"Six days."

"You must be happy about his visit."

She grinned. "Yes, I love him very much and I miss him. He's like my baby in a way. And he's so excited to come here, because it's his first visit to Seattle, I mean one that he'll actually remember because he was just a baby when he was here before. And he's flying for the first time too, and he's pretty excited about it."

"Do you know what you're going to do with him? Any plans?"

"I haven't thought about it yet. Let's see … I think that water park, Woodland zoo and the Seattle aquarium for sure, some museums perhaps, cinema. But, I don't know, I'll have to ask Riley what he wants to do once he's here. That's his decision; he's the one who's supposed to have a good time here."

"My parents have an outdoor swimming pool on their property," Edward said. "You are welcomed to come and use it, instead of going to the water park. Riley would have the whole pool to himself."

"I don't know," she hesitated, completely taken aback by his invitation. "It would be an imposition…"

"Nonsense," he said firmly. "Trust me, Bella, they would be delighted to have you, both of you. Just name the day."

"I have to ask Riley first. I can't decide on his behalf," she said, trying to get out of this without hurting Edward's feelings.

He pinned her with his gaze. "Then ask him."

Bella smiled and nodded even though she couldn't see herself and Riley spending the day with the Cullens. She wasn't ready to inform her family about her relationship with Edward Cullen, aka mafia boss. To be perfectly honest, she was scared shitless of her parents learning about Edward. She was especially fearful of her father's reaction. She knew that Riley wasn't capable of keeping a secret, not at his age and with his personality too much like their mother's. It'd be the best to keep him away from Edward.

She didn't know how to categorize what was between her and Edward. She loved spending time with him, when it was just the two of them, alone in their bubble. However, she was not ready to face the rest of the world regarding their relationship, her parents especially.

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On Monday, Bella stayed in bed until midday, sleeping off her weekend shift. Then, she cleaned the apartment and around three in the afternoon she went out to get groceries. Riley wasn't a picky eater, but she wanted him to enjoy all the snacks and fruit he particularly liked during his time with her.

Leaving her apartment, she didn't even check if the elevator was working again and she went straight to the staircase. There was no way that it was being repaired so quickly.

To her astonishment as she reached the ground floor, there was quite a commotion around the elevator, a few men seemingly working on it. Well, at least they were doing something to repair it.

Mrs. Webb, one of the few neighbors she knew by name, and only because the older lady had been her patient a few months ago, approached her with her little, white dog.

"Bella, dear, good afternoon to you."

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Webb," Bella smiled back, petting the dog. "I can see that they've gotten serious about repairing the elevator this time."

"Oh, no, dear, they aren't repairing it. I asked them earlier when I was leaving for a walk with Sammy; they're installing a brand new one."

"I wonder how much it's going to cost us," Bella murmured. She had no idea how expensive elevators were, but even if the cost was divided between all of the building's inhabitants, it was probably going to be expensive, and she didn't have much additional money to spare. She didn't want to touch the little money she had managed to save for remodeling her ancient bathroom. Well, she would worry about the bill when the time came. At least there was hope that the new elevator wouldn't break every month.

Bella opened the door, dropping the many bags she carried on the floor. She shut the door and went straight to the couch. She needed a few moments to rest before she unloaded everything. Dragging a week of groceries up to the fifth floor had been extremely exhausting. On her way up, she had learned that hopefully, the new elevator would be working tomorrow. She had her doubts about that, but she decided to hope for best.

While closing her eyes and resting for a few minutes, she heard her phone ringing. She must have forgotten it when she'd been out because it was ringing from the kitchen.

She dragged herself from the couch to pick it up. Not surprisingly, it was Edward.

"Hi," she answered.

"Why aren't you taking my calls?" he demanded in an unpleasant voice.

"I forgot my phone," she said calmly. "I've been out buying groceries." She didn't like his tone.

"You shouldn't forget your phone when you're going out."

"And you shouldn't be so rude to me," she countered back. "Have you never forgotten anything?"

He was silent for a long moment. "I'm sorry," he said. "I became worried when you weren't answering your phone."

"I can't always answer; I might be at work, in a meeting with someone, or taking a shower. It doesn't mean that something happened to me."

"I know, I know," he said, sounding distracted. "How was your shift?"

"Tiring," she responded. "And you? How was your Sunday?"

"Boring," he replied. "Any plans for tonight?"

"Nope, just to wind down, and have a good night sleep."

"I understand that dinner and cinema is not something you feel up to?"

"Not really, but perhaps you could come to my place. I'll cook dinner, and we can watch a movie," she proposed lightly. Yes, have dinner, watch a movie and make out a bit, she thought to herself. She missed his mouth and fingers.

"Great, what time?" he agreed instantly.

"I don't know, seven…"

"I'll be there, but don't bother cooking. I'll bring some takeout."

"Ok, I'll see you this evening."

"Have some rest, baby," he said, before disconnecting.

She sat down at the kitchen table, staring out of the window, supporting her chin on her palm. She knew that she had to unpack all of the groceries, but all she could think about was what he would do to her tonight. God, she was such a wanton hussy.

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Edward arrived on time and brought Italian food. It was delicious and judging by the artful way it was packed, it had come from a rather high end restaurant.

After eating, they snuggled on the couch and put on a DVD that Edward had bought. Ten minutes after the movie began, it was completely forgotten, and they both were in a horizontal position. "Have you thought about my proposition?" he murmured in her ear, squeezing her breasts through her shirt.

"What?" she rasped, trying to gather a coherent thought in her lust induced brain.

Lifting his weight off of her, hovering over her on his outstretched arm, he said. "I talked to my mum. She'll be delighted to have you and your brother on Saturday to swim. I am to bring you both at ten."

Why was he talking about her brother now? It was frustrating.

"I don't know, Edward," she said, pulling him down on her, wrapping her legs around his lean hips to keep him close to her. "I haven't thought about that."

He returned to kissing her neck, his fingers opening the buttons of her blouse. With a wildly beating heart, she watched as he drew the thin material apart like a curtain, revealing her best lacy bra. He moved one cup aside, blowing on her nipple, before tracing it with his finger.

"Oh, God," she groaned, squeezing her eyes tight, her fingers fisting his shirt, trying to bring him even closer.

At last, he took her breast into his mouth and began to suck. The sensation was indescribable. But, it couldn't be compared to his hand moving under her skirt, stroking the inside of her thigh.

"Well?" he said, his green eyes glittering at hers, his hand stopping any movement.

"Well what?" she rasped in an anguished voice.

He shifted above her, his hand resting lightly on the lace of her panties. "Will you come?" he asked, rubbing her through the flimsy material.

"Edward, that's not…" she panted, squeezing her eyes, "fair."

"All is fair in love and war, love," he replied.

He kissed her neck. "Come." She yelped because just then he touched her clitoris.

She tried hard to concentrate. "Riley… he doesn't even know you."

"Let me worry about that," he said, before kissing her lips.

Her eyes widened as his hand slipped inside her panties. "Is that a yes?" he asked, circling her sensitive flesh.

"God, yes," she groaned, biting on her lower lip before her body went completely limp.

"Good, girl," he whispered, moving her panties back into place, before patting her reassuringly.

His hand left her skirt, and he touched her cheek with it. She could clearly smell herself on his fingers.

"What are you doing to me?" she asked, her head lolling to the side as she stared into his eyes.

"I could ask you the same," he answered, placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

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"Ri?" Bella cried from the kitchen where she was busy cooking. "Are you sure you're not hungry for a snack before dinner?"

"I've already told you, no!" he cried back.

Shaking her head, she stepped away from the vegetables she was chopping, and stood in the doorway leading from the kitchen to the living room.

"I can make you a quick sandwich," she said, walking over to him. "Dinner will be ready in about forty-five minutes. I don't want you to be hungry."

Riley didn't even look at her as he checked the TV channels, remote control in hand.

"You're worse than mum," he said."I'm nine years old. I think I know if I'm hungry or not. And, I had a sandwich on the plane."

She ruffled his dark hair. "You're still eight for another month."

He looked up at her, offended. "One month doesn't count. Why don't you have more channels?"

Bella shrugged. "I don't know."

He pouted. "There's nothing to watch."

She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring playfully at him. "Hey, you came here to spend time with me, not to watch TV."

"You were in the kitchen. What I was supposed to do?" he asked.

Little smart ass, Bella thought. "Keep my company," she told him, leaning forward to hug him, kissing the top of his head.

"Ugh, yuck!" he cried in pretended disgust but didn't pull away from her.

"I love you, gummy bear," she wasn't giving up, squeezing him to her. "Love you, love you, love you!" she cried, kissing him all over his face.

"Don't call me that!" He scowled at his early childhood nickname.

Their mother had begun calling him gummy bear because as a two year old he was ready to do anything for a few jelly candies. "Call me Riley Charles Swan."

"Very well Mr. R.C. Swan," she agreed and smoothed his hair.

"Do you have any cool DVDs?" he wanted to know.

"I have Lion King."

"That's for babies! "He accused.

"That's so not true. I happen to love that movie. I always cry when I watch it."

He rolled his dark eyes. "You and mum always cry when you're watching a movie."

"Because we're sensitive human beings," she replied, tugging at his shoulder. "Come, if my TV's boring keep me company in the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner."

He obediently tugged along with her, sitting himself at the table. She would give him some work to do, but she knew that she would finish faster on her own. And there would be no bleeding fingers.

"So, how's your summer going?" she asked, returning to work.

"Cool, we've been fishing with dad every other day. Not every day because mum's complaining that we're leaving her alone too much."

"Mum's right."

"She can always go with us. I ask her, but she never wants to."

"That's a surprise," Bella murmured quietly to herself.

She perfectly understood her mother's stance on fishing. There was no appeal in sitting by the lake in the cold, rain, and wind with mosquitoes everywhere drinking your blood like vampires. Bella felt sorry that Renee had to put up with Charlie's fishing obsession, and now Riley was becoming as bad as his father.

But as Renee had told her once, every man needed a hobby, and there was nothing that you could do about it. It could be everything, from rebuilding old cars or motorcycles, to photography, sailing, flying, parachute jumping, making furniture and worse, drinking or chasing women. In her mother's view fishing wasn't that bad, relatively cheap, safe and healthy in comparison to the other hobby choices.

She wondered whether Edward had a disturbing hobby. Speak of the devil…

"Ri, we'll have a guest coming to dinner, a friend of mine."

"Miss Angela and her husband?" Riley tried to guess.

"No, someone you haven't met. His name's Edward. He's my friend."

There was a moment silence, but the unavoidable question came. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"I told you that he's my friend."

"Why is he coming here?"

"Because he wants to meet you," she replied.

Another minute of silence. "Is he your boyfriend?"

God, he was worse than the FBI. If it were hard with Riley, she couldn't even imagine a similar conversation with her father.

A ring on the door rescued her momentarily from her inquisitive brother.

To Bella's surprise, she found Edward on the doorstep. "You're too early," she said.

He pulled her into his arms. "I missed you," he whispered, kissing her lips and moving to her neck.

She sighed, relaxing under his touch. She missed him too; the last night they were together, things had been pretty hot between them. They hadn't had sex, but still, he'd made her feel heavenly. She really needed to think about protection. She had to make an appointment with her gynecologist soon.

Edward squeezed her to him. "I thought that I would come earlier and talk with Riley while make dinner."

She pulled back to look at him. "He's been asking about you. I told him that…"

"Are you Bella's boyfriend?"

They both turned their heads to see one brown eye peering at them from around a doorframe. Bella tried to pull away from Edward, but he kept her close to him, his arm draped over her back.

"Come here, Riley." She gestured and as the boy walked closer she said, trying to sound normal and casual. "This is Edward."

Riley looked up at the tall man for a moment before sticking out his right hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Riley Charles Swan."

Bella almost burst out in laughter because Riley attempted to modulate his voice to sound lower than it was.

Edward took his hand. "And I'm Edward Anthony Cullen."

They shook hands.

"Are you Bella's boyfriend?"

"I told you, Ri, that Edward's my friend," she reminded.

"Mum says that there's no such thing of a friendship between men and women."

"That's not true, Ri," Bella chided. "Mum and Dad are friends."

"Dad is Mum's husband. That's different."

"What about Bree?" Bella asked, referring to their neighbor's young daughter. "She's your friend. "Riley shook his head. "Nope. She's my girlfriend."

"Oh, is she?" Bella asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She was learning some very interesting things.

"Yes, she is. She told me that she was."

Staring down at her brother, she felt Edward kissing her temple before he let her go, and stepped away.

"Can we talk, just two of us, like men?" Edward asked Riley very seriously.

Riley nodded. "Let's go into the living room," he agreed trying even harder to imitate the older man's baritone.

Bella covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle the urge to giggle.

"Go, go," she pushed them into the living room. "I'll call you for dinner in about half an hour."

As she observed her brother and friend disappearing in the living room, she wondered how Edward would manage get Riley on his side. Something told her that he would do well and by tomorrow; Edward would be Riley's new hero.

_Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

Bella stared out of the window as they drove along the long tree shadowed lane in the residential part of Seattle. She'd never been to this part of the city – she'd never had any reason to. She'd never known anyone rich enough to live here. Now she was on her way to Edward's parents' home to spend Saturday with them.

As she'd assumed, Riley had no trouble with accepting Edward. She felt a little jealous of all the attention her brother had given to her boyfriend. It was as if, she, his sister, had stopped existing. And yes, boyfriend - she had accepted the fact that Edward was more than a friend to her, much more.

For once, she didn't want to think about the consequences of her current actions. Carpe diem was her philosophy even though she knew that such an approach was short-lived. She tried not to worry, but to just enjoy her present happiness.

Edward had found time for Riley and so far; he had spent two afternoons with them, taking them first to the Paintball Park, and the other day Go Kart racing. At the beginning, she'd been scared that those activities were too dangerous for Riley, but when she'd seen that there had been kids his age and even younger, and that everything looked really safe and professional, she'd calmed down. She'd even agreed to take part in a paintball game against Riley and Edward. She'd lost of course, but it was fun. The only scary thing was how well Edward could shoot. As for Riley, he looked up to Edward as if he hung the moon.

Edward charmed Riley the same as he had her. He should consider running for senator or even president. Of course, it was possible in his situation, and with his background, people would have love him if he only put some effort into it.

Today, there was no bodyguard with them, not that she noticed, and Edward drove his black, shiny car himself. Riley was in the backseat while she sat next to the driver, clenching the tray with muffins in her hand. She'd made them last night, thinking that it would be nice to bring something. She only hoped that she would not come off as a small town idiot arriving with baked goods.

"Here we are," Edward's voice brought her from her thoughts. They were turning onto a long side road, at the end of which she could see, between trees, a bungalow type residence.

All too soon, the car stopped. Riley got out first, not waiting for anyone, but Bella hesitated.

Edward, of course, had to notice. "Are you ok?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm scared," she admitted.

"Of my family? You're kidding. They already love you. I told you."

She glanced at the house. "I don't belong here."

He cupped her chin. "It's just a house."

There was a knock on the window. "Are we going?" Riley wanted to know.

Bella opened her door, getting out. It was too late to change her mind.

Edward quickly caught up to her. "Don't worry, it's just nerves," he whispered, kissing her temple, his arm pinning her to his side.

Before they could ring the bell, the door opened, Esme standing in front of them, Alice just behind her.

"You're late. I was beginning to worry," she exclaimed, walking closer.

"Sorry, mum," Edward leaned down to kiss her cheek and give her a hug, the same as he did to Alice. "There was heavy traffic on the way."

"You should have left earlier," Esme scolded lightly, before turning to Bella.

"Bella, dear, how are you?" She hugged her.

"I'm well, Mrs. Cullen," she answered in a tight voice, extending the tray with muffins in front of herself. "Thank you for the invitation."

"Oh, you didn't have to!" Esme exclaimed, taking the tray. "I'm certain that they're delicious. And no Mrs. Cullen, Esme, please. I won't answer to Mrs. Cullen."

She nodded with a small smile, "Esme." She pulled Riley to her side. "This is my brother, Riley."

"It is nice to meet you, ma'am," Riley recited, sticking a small bucket of daisies into Esme's face.

"Oh, such a gentleman!" Esme exclaimed as she took the flowers, kissing Riley on both cheeks and ruffling his dark curls.

Riley turned red like a tomato.

"Come, come inside!" Esme gestured them into the opened front door.

For the next few minutes, Bella was introduced and reintroduced to what seemed like a dozen of people, including Emmett and Rosalie his girlfriend, Jasper, Rosalie's brother, and Edward's father, Carlisle.

Edward didn't tell her that his father was in a wheelchair. As soon as she saw the older man, an array of thoughts swirled in her head. Had Mr. Cullen been in an accident? How long had he been disabled? Was that the reason Edward hadn't gone to medical school but had to join the family business?

She felt overwhelmed with all the attention given to her and Ri, and was relieved when Esme seated her on the oversized veranda looking over the back gardens. Edward took Riley to show him around the grounds, Emmett and Jasper joining them. It was a man's walk; she was informed.

Esme and Alice had disappeared into the kitchen; she'd guessed. She was left with Rosalie and Mr. Cullen. That was beyond awkward. Edward left her alone with people she'd met ten minutes ago.

She looked at Rosalie because she was less intimidating than Mr. Cullen, just barely but still. Emmett's girlfriend looked perfect from her shiny artfully curled platinum hair (she looked very much like Veronica Lake) to her toes painted in a bright turquoise color. Bella had tried to hide her own ordinary looking feet clad in flip-flops under the lounge chair she on which she was sitting.

To her relief, Rosalie spoke first. "Emmett says that you're a nurse."

Bella nodded. "Yes, at Harborview."

Rosalie smiled. "Cool. Jasper is finishing his residency at Virginia Mason."

Well, that was a surprise. "Virgina is a very good hospital," Bella remarked. "Your brother has to be good since he was accepted to a residency there."

Rosalie lifted her chin proudly. "He was at top of his class. But you work at Harborview; you must be very good too. I read somewhere that it's the best hospital in the country."

"I try to do my best," Bella said. "It's not the easiest job."

"Yeah, sometimes Jasper is so tired he lacks the energy to speak, and reply to basic questions."

"I can relate to that," Bella agreed. "What do you do?"

"I own my own business. Hair, make-up and a nail salon," Rosalie explained.

"Now, I know why you look so good," Bella told her sincerely.

"Thank you," Rosalie flipped her hair over her shoulder. She looked a lot like old time movie star; she had this glamour in her looks. "I have to look a certain way as I'm the best advertisement for my business. Clients cannot see me with hairy eyebrows, chipped nails, and dark roots. You must come by. Your hair is great, but I would suggest some layering and shortening by a good few inches." She reached to touch the brown mass cascading down Bella's arms. "It's so thick; it must be difficult to manage."

"A nightmare actually," Bella admitted. "I, usually, just pull it back into a ponytail or braid."

Rosalie reached for her large, hobo bag, taking out a wallet. "This is my card."

Bella took it, seeing that Rosalie's place was not that far away from her apartment building.

"Come next week," Rosalie said. "You can make an appointment or just stop by. I'll personally take care of you."

"Thank you so much, Rosalie," Bella said, "I will come, but perhaps next month. I'm rather tight with money at the moment. The elevator was replaced in my apartment building, and I don't know how much that is going to cost."

Rosalie waved her perfectly manicured hand. "You won't have to pay. We must stick together; after all we're both dating the infamous Cullen brothers."

Bella glanced nervously at Carlisle, who hadn't spoken a word so far. But the older man didn't seem in the least upset with Rosalie's words. His expression was content; he even looked entertained to a degree.

Bella shook her head. "I can't agree to that, Rosalie. You work hard, and you should be paid for it."

The other woman stared at her for a moment, a slight frown appearing between her thin eyebrows. "I can see that Edward has quite the work cut out for him with you. But that's good; he's had it much too easy so far."

Carlisle chuckled, making both women look over at him.

"Rosalie, darling, will you please go and look for the boys, and tell them that the food is ready? I cannot reach their cell phones."

"I have Emmett's cell phone; it's in the car," Rosalie said. "I had to take it away because he was playing some a stupid game on it the entire ride here, driving me mad."

When Rosalie walked away, Bella was left all alone with Edward's father.

"I hope that the FBI hasn't been bothering you?" he asked.

Well, he certainly wasn't beating about the bush. "No, I haven't seen them since they came to my apartment," she replied. "Thank you for your help, I do appreciate it. Frankly, I was terrified after their visit."

"They won't bother you again," he assured her. "You're untouchable for them now."

Again, she didn't know how to respond to that, and she didn't want to know what exactly he meant that she was 'untouchable'. This family was leaving her speechless far more often than she would like.

Bella stretched out on the cushioned pool chair with her eyes closed. It was a hot day, but a pleasant, light breeze was in the air. Perhaps for the first time since she'd entered the Cullen house this morning she was able to relax completely. She could hear Riley's delighted screams coming from the pool. She was glad that he was having a good time.

Rosalie took her under her wing for which Bella was extremely grateful. Even now, Rose was reading a magazine on the chair next to Bella.

"They seem to have fun," Rosalie remarked, glancing over at the pool where Emmett, Edward, Jasper and Riley were playing water polo.

Bella smiled at her. "I'm happy that Riley is having a great time."

"He's a great kid," Rosalie noted.

Warmth and pride enveloped Bella's heart. "Yes, he is."

"So," Rosalie closed the magazine, putting it aside, looking directly at Bella. "I heard the FBI paid you a visit."

"Yes, that was scary."

"It'll be ok. Don't worry. They won't bother you anymore."

"Yeah, everyone says that."

"Yes, but I can speak from my own experience."

"They came to you too?" Bella asked, turning her entire body to Rosalie.

"Just around the time I began dating Emmett. At least you knew who the Cullens are, I didn't have an idea. That was a rough time for Emmett and I. We separated for a while, but I couldn't stay away from him for very long."

Bella nodded her head vigorously. "I ask myself every day what on earth I'm doing, but then, when I'm with Edward, I forget about everything. He's addictive, his company and everything about him."

"Just be careful," Rosalie advised in lowered voice. "Don't allow yourself to forget who you are."

"What do you mean exactly?"

Rosalie leaned forward. "I don't want you to end up like Esme. Do you know that she was an architect before she married into the family? She continued working at first before Carlisle demanded she stay at home after Edward was born."

Bella hesitated. "Thirty years ago things were different," she said. "I think that it was common to stay at home with kids, more than nowadays."

"Bullshit, Emmett is exactly the same, I can tell you. I once caught him poking holes in a condom with a needle. Can you imagine? Poor fool doesn't realize I take the shot. He thinks that if I'm not taking pills, I'm not protected. I bet Edward is the same. He wants you to be dependent on him; jobless, in the kitchen, pregnant with one child, and a toddler attached to your skirt, the third one in preschool."

Rosalie seemed very sure of what she was saying, but Edward had never even mentioned children. "You don't want to have children?" she asked tentatively.

"I do, very much so. I love Emmett, but I'm terrified of bringing an innocent child into this family. Do you think that Emmett and Edward ever had a chance to do something different in life than the family business?"

Bella stared down at her hands. "That sucks."

Rosalie opened her magazine again, hiding her eyes behind oversized sunglasses. "To put it mildly."

Rosalie's words hit her right in her heart, but she had not time to ponder over them because Esme approached with a pouting Alice.

"What's the matter?" Rosalie asked the teenager.

"Daddy told me to change into this!" Alice exclaimed pointing to a modest, conservative even, navy colored, one piece swimsuit. "I look terrible! It's hideous." Hot tears ran down her cheeks. "Why can't I wear a bikini like you and Bella? Even mum has a nicer suit on than me."

Esme rubbed her back. "You know how your father is. He is just protective of you."

"But, I don't understand why!" Alice cried.

"Lower your voice," Esme said, her voice firmer. "We have guests, don't make a scene. Your father can hear you; he is on the patio. He won't like such behavior on your part."

Alice lowered her head down, wiping her round cheeks quickly with the back of her palms.

"Come," Esme pulled at her arm. "Help me with the food, but before that you need to wash your face. There's no reason for you to cry. It's not the end of the world."

As they walked away, Esme quickly whispered something to Alice, Bella said. "Poor girl."

"Yes, I bet she wanted to impress Jasper in a daring bikini," Rosalie remarked.

"She's in love with him?" Bella asked knowingly.

"Madly. Jasper is nice to her because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings. She understands it differently though."

"Poor kid," Bella said compassionately. "It must be hard for her."

Rosalie waved her hand dismissively. "She's seventeen. She will grow out of it. She wouldn't be so enamored of my brother if she saw the pigsty in his bedroom."

They were silent for a while longer even though Bella wanted to ask Rosalie more questions. It was good to be able to talk with someone who was in the same situation as she was. Perhaps the idea of visiting Rosalie's hair salon wasn't a bad one? They could talk more, having more privacy than here.

She was on the verge of sleep, her head lolling to the side when she heard. "Oh, shit, Bella, watch out!" Rosalie cried in a high-pitched voice.

On opening her eyes, she saw her new friend sprinting across the lawn, away from the pool, Emmett running after her.

Before she could understand what was happening, a wet Edward had her over his arm, jogging towards the pool.

Seconds later, she was brutally thrown into the water, her brother clapping and laughing loudly beside her.

"If you wanted me to come into the water, you should have said so," she said, glaring at both Edward and Riley, who were grinning like fools. "That wasn't necessary."

Edward swam to her from behind placing his hands on her waist. "It was more fun that way," he said.

Another big splash brought her attention, and seconds later a fuming Rosalie, emerging on the surface.

"I'll kill that idiot one day! "She cried, squirting water, trying to catch her breath.

After a few minutes in the water, she swam to the pool steps and began climbing carefully out of the water. She saw a hand in her line vision offered to help. She accepted it. It was Jasper, helping her out.

He followed her to her chair. "I heard that you're a nurse at Harborview?" he started conversationally, as she began drying her long hair with a fluffy towel.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"I wanted to do my residency there but I wasn't accepted."

"Rosalie says that you're at Virginia Mason; it's a good hospital as well."

"Yeah, but I've always wanted to work at Harborview. I think I'll try there again, I want to go into orthopedics."

She smiled at him, and he smiled right back, his eyes weren't looking at her face though but at her body.

His eyes narrowed as he reached his hand down to touch her hip. "Is it after hip replacement?" he asked excitedly, tracing the long, but faint scar with his finger.

"Yep."

"How long?"

"Eight years ago."

"Any side effects?"

"No…" she began to speak but stopped, seeing Edward approaching them, an ugly scowl marking his handsome face.

With no warning, he pushed Jasper to the ground with such force that the younger man fell against the small table that held the food and drinks.

"Don't you dare to touch her!" Edward hollered.

Jasper tried to raise himself, but Edward punched him squarely in the face.

"Stop!" Bella tried to pull him away, but it was as if he didn't hear her, seething with anger, his entire body vibrating. She was terrified that he would hit poor Jasper again, but then Emmett was behind him, wrapping his muscular arms around his brother in a vice like grip.

"Come on, bro, calm down," Emmett tried to sooth him. "Nothing happened."

Bella crouched by Jasper, who was now bleeding heavily from his nose. Rosalie was on his other side, and they both helped him to stand to his feet.

"What have you done?" Bella asked Edward. "Are you out of your mind?"

He said nothing, only stared at her.

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Bella sat next to Edward as they drove back to First Hill. Riley was in the back, conked out, snoring lightly. She shouldn't be surprised – the last few days had been exhausting for him with the whole range of activities Edward had engaged him with. Today, he'd gotten up at five, justifying it by saying that he was too excited to sleep.

It was an emotional and tiring day for Bella as well. She would have been tempted to take a nap if she hadn't been so damn angry. For the first time since she had met Edward, she didn't like him very much.

Not only had Edward hit Jasper, ruining a great day for all of them, but he didn't show much remorse for his actions. Jasper's nose wasn't broken, but it was bleeding pretty badly, and he would have one hell of a bruise for the next week or so. Rosalie had taken Jasper home, refusing to speak both to Edward and Emmett.

Bella could perfectly understand her new friend's reaction. Right after Rosalie and Jasper had left, Bella had taken a firm hold of Riley's hand, asking whether a cab could be called for them. Edward had insisted on driving them home, and she'd agreed only because she didn't want to make a scene in front of his parents, and more importantly Riley. Esme looked so sad and heartbroken when they were leaving, and Bella felt for the older woman, but she couldn't possibly stay there one minute longer.

"You're not talking to me now?" Edward wanted to know. His eyes were on her, but she refused to look at him, staring out of the window.

"Bella," he said, his hand reaching to touch her cheek, but she jerked her head away.

"Don't," she hissed, shifting to the edge of her seat as far from him as the width of the car allowed it.

The traffic was quite heavy for a Sunday afternoon, and Bella prayed for the drive to end as soon as possible.

Finally, the car stopped in front of her building. She jumped out of the car, rushing to open the back door to get Riley. He was still sleeping, and she began to shake him, trying to wake him up, when she heard a voice behind him.

"Let him sleep," Edward said. "I'll carry him upstairs. He must be tired."

She closed her eyes for a few seconds, before stepping back. She watched as Edward gently took the boy out.

Bella gathered their things, marching quickly into the building and to the elevator. At least, it was working now without a hitch.

"Where should I put him?" Edward asked quietly when she opened the door to her apartment. Bella pointed to her bedroom.

Edward put the boy on the bed. Bella took off his flip-flops, covered him with a thin blanket, and drew the curtain so the sun wouldn't disturb him. There would be time for a bath later to wash the pool water off of him.

She tiptoed out of the room, closing the door with a quiet click.

"You should go," she said, feeling Edward's presence by her side, cramping her space.

She strode past him to the living room.

"Wait." He caught her by the elbow. "Please, baby," he whispered, pulling her closer.

"Let me go," she said through her teeth, locking his eyes with hers.

He didn't listen, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "I was just protecting what was mine. He had not right to touch you."

She felt his lips on her hair, and his erection was rubbing against her side. She wanted to scream, to shout out what she thought about his behavior in his face, but she knew this was not the time or place. Her innocent brother was sleeping in the next room, and he'd been exposed to enough trauma today.

Looking up, she said. "I'm tired, just go, please. It's been a long day. Riley will be awake soon, hungry. I have to prepare something for dinner, and then we'll have an early night."

"I'll order something," he proposed. "Don't bother with cooking if you're tired."

She shook her head. "You know that you can't stay for the night while Riley is with me."

His hands moved down, cupping her bottom. "I can't wait until I have you all to myself again."

She accepted his groping passively for a moment. "Just go," she said, taking a step back, putting distance between them.

He followed her to the hall.

"I'll call tomorrow. Perhaps we'll take Riley somewhere."

Opening the door, she shook her head. "That's not a good idea, Edward. I want to spend some quality time with my brother, just the two of us without strangers. Besides, he his flight back home is Monday morning, so tomorrow is the last day I have with him."

She was holding the door open, but he didn't move. When she glanced up at him, he was staring at her through narrowed eyes, assessing her.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he repeated, leaning down to kiss her lips. It was a gentle caress, and she fought the urge to kiss him back.

"Goodnight," she said formally.

Finally, he stepped out of the apartment. Without delay, she closed the door in front of his face even though she could see that he was opening his mouth to say something more. She bolted the door. There was no sound on the other side. He didn't walk away.

Mentally and physically exhausted, she returned to the living room and dropped on the couch.

What should she do now? Edward had some serious anger management issues. Today, he'd proved that he was capable of being violent without any good reason. On the other hand what else she should expect taking into consideration his background and his 'job'? He made her angry, but he'd also scared her. He had always been so gentle and loving that it was a shock to see his other side.

What about Riley? He'd witnessed everything. How would she explain Edward's behavior to an eight-year-old?

"Where's Edward?"

She looked up, her brother standing in the doorway, rubbing his eyes.

Bella sat up. "He had to go. Are you hungry?" she asked, hoping to distract him. "What do you want for dinner?"

Riley thought for a moment. "Can I have tomato soup with grilled cheese?"

Bella barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. If Riley had his choice, he would have tomato soup with grilled cheese every single day. "Sure, but on one condition, you take a bath while I make dinner."

As she expected, that brought a frown on the boy's face. "But, I'm clean already. I've been in the water for the entire day."

"A deal is a deal," she told him. "No tomato soup with grilled cheese unless you take a bath."

"Fine," Riley sulked, stomping away in the direction of bathroom.

"Use soap, lots of it!" she reminded him. "Just soaking in the water doesn't count. I'll check, and wash your hair, ears and feet!"

As she busied herself with dinner, she tried very hard not think about Edward. She had to concentrate on Riley and the last moments they had together.

He was back just as she was adding crushed tomatoes to the vegetable broth, stirring it.

"That was fast," she remarked suspiciously. Riley was in his pajamas, his hair was still wet.

She covered the pot, reducing the heat.

"Is it ready?" Riley asked excitedly.

"No, it needs to cook for half an hour."

"So long!" he whined. "I'm hungry."

"I'll make you a quick sandwich."

"OK." He sat at the table.

Bella made him a sandwich before starting on the grilled cheese while the soup was cooking.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" she asked distractedly, concentrating on slicing the cheese.

"Why did Edward hit Jasper?"

She dropped the knife - she didn't want to cut herself. Turning around, she said seriously. "Edward was very wrong to do that."

"But why?"

"It doesn't matter why. He made a mistake. Violence is never a good solution. Hitting someone is wrong," she stressed, hoping that Riley would understand.

"Even when you have to protect yourself, when someone wants to hurt you?" he asked.

She pulled a chair to sit next to him. "Ri, look at me." She cupped his face. "If someone ever wants to hurt you, you scream and run away, call for help, and never try to fight them on your own."

"OK," he nodded. "Will Edward come tomorrow?"

"Hey, don't you want to spend time with me? We can go to the cinema and see a 3D movie."

He smiled, showing his half-grown teeth. "Sure, but Edward can come with us. He's fun."

Standing up, she said. "Edward can't come because he's grounded."

"For hitting Jasper?" Riley guessed knowingly.

"Exactly."

"He's grown up. Who grounded him?" Riley asked smartly.

Bella put her hands on her hips. "I grounded him. And in a minute, I'll ground you too if you don't stop asking questions, and distracting me from making dinner."

Riley's eyes widened and he looked down, avoiding her gaze. She felt guilty that she'd snapped at him, but he should know better than to argue with her.

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Bella stepped out of the elevator and walked straight ahead, not looking around, her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes downcast.

She was already outside of the hospital when she heard. "Bella! Wait! Bella!" a male voice called.

Turning her head, she saw Pedro coming towards her. "Hi!" She gave him her most genuine smile, stepping in his direction. "What are you doing here? I thought that you were still in Ohio."

"I've just come back, yesterday actually," he explained, smiling down at her.

"Were you seeing your aunt at the hospital?" she tried to guess.

"No…" He dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans, looking shy. "I mean, I saw her, but I came to see you. I found out from her that you were just finishing your shift. Look, I'm sorry that I haven't contacted you for the past few weeks."

She shook her head. She didn't mind because she hadn't given him any thought for the last couple of weeks. All her thoughts had been concentrated entirely on Edward. "That's ok. I've been pretty busy actually… those weeks were intense. So much has been going on."

He took a hold of her arm, pulling her away from the busy entrance. "I wasn't blowing you off or anything like that, and I thought about you, it's just that the construction in Ohio was a pure nightmare… We took over after another company and had to finish everything in record time otherwise the town would lose all the funding they had received."

"That's ok, Pedro," she assured him. "I understand."

"Great!" he beamed at her. "Will you have dinner with me then? Not tonight of course, you must be tired after long shift."

Her teeth sank into her lower lip. "Pedro… I don't think that it's a good idea. While you were away, I met and started to date someone, well I met him before I met you but he was my patient first and…" She hated to see the look of raw disappointment coming onto his face. He was a good guy and she felt as if she'd hurt him. "I'm sorry… we've only been on one date…" she stammered. God, she felt like a heartless bitch.

"Right…" he said, "right." He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "Damn job, I should have been here and not in Ohio. Girls like you don't stay alone for long," he murmured, staring down at his shoes.

She touched his sleeve, bringing his attention. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

"So…" Pedro cleared his throat. "Is it serious with this guy? Will you change your mind about him?" he asked lightly.

"No… it had gone too far, I even met his family."

Pedro whistled. "He's not wasting any time."

"Yeah, even though I'm not speaking to him at the moment. He can be a pain in the ass." She rolled her eyes.

Pedro frowned. "Do you need any help? Perhaps good advice from a guy's perspective?"

Bella hesitated. Did she need that? Talking about Edward with another man whom she knew so little, Carmen's nephew or not? What harm could come from it? It would be good to hear an unbiased opinion from a male point of view.

As she looked into Pedro's dark brown, honest eyes, she nodded. "That may be a good idea. Do you have some time? Will you walk me home?"

"Sure, let's go," he said, draping his arm lightly over her shoulders, moving them forward.

They strolled leisurely side by side in the direction of her apartment building as Bella filled him in on what had happened last Saturday. She didn't give him Edward's surname, or any details about his family, only focused on the situation by the pool and how Edward had pushed and punched Jasper. "What do you think?" she asked when she finished her tale. They were already in front of her building.

"He overrated the situation to be sure, but I can understand his point," Pedro said.

She blinked several times, taken aback. "You do?"

"Yeah, look, from what you said the guy is pretty serious about you, the best proof is that he took you and your brother to meet his parents. Trust me, if a girl is just a way to have some fun you keep her miles away from your mother."

"Oh. Good to know," she said. "Are you saying that you would act like him?" She crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him wearily. "Punching the poor, unsuspecting man in the face?"

"No, I can't imagine doing that, but I would do something, I wouldn't stand by and just take it calmly. I don't know… probably I would ask him to keep his hands to himself, and pull you away from him."

"Right," she said, staring at the cracks in the pavement. "You mean he was marking his territory, something like that?"

Pedro shrugged. "Exactly. In the animal world, its standard behavior, I believe, and we're mammals after all."

"I'm worried and scared that he's … an abuser, you know," she confessed quietly, looking up at him. "That he's violent, and that was my first call to see it." She swallowed audibly. "I've seen too many women brought into the hospital after their husbands or boyfriends' beat them. I don't want to go there. Perhaps those are early signs?"

"I don't know Bella; I don't know him so I can't tell," he replied with hesitation but added quickly. "But, if you have this kind of doubt about him, if such a thought has entered your mind, it's best to leave now."

"Yeah," she whispered, nodding. She knew that Pedro was right, but the problem was that separating from Edward was the last thing she really wanted.

"It is always best to listen to your gut. And don't try to justify him."

"You're right," she admitted sadly.

"That's your decision but if you need any help, I mean any, no matter what the time of night or day, call me."

"Thank you, Pedro." She looked up at him gratefully. "And thank you for listening to all the crap I just poured on you, that's really nice of you. I had no one to talk to about this."

He grinned his easy smile. "Anytime." He leaned down, enveloping her in a quick hug, and brushing his lips against her cheek. "Take care."

"You too," she responded, before giving him one more smile, and entering the building.

Once in her apartment, the first thing she did was to retrieve her phone from her bag. She'd turned it off completely during her shift, mostly because she didn't want to see any unanswered calls from Edward flash on the screen.

Now, she had twenty calls unanswered. As she looked through them, she could see that most of them were from her mother. Riley must have told her about Edward. That was not good even though she'd expected it. Her mother would hunt her down until she spilled the beans about her new boyfriend. She knew that there was no chance that Renee would go easy on her; her mother wanted some blood and badly.

A doorbell got her attention, making her stand from the couch with effort.

On opening the door, she saw Edward with a huge bouquet of pink roses. Silently she let him in. There was no point in avoiding him.

"They're beautiful, thank you," she said, taking the flowers.

She walked inside the apartment, looking around for a vase large enough to hold a few dozen roses.

"I think that I am going to have to put them in a bucket," she murmured more to herself than to him.

As she busied herself with the flowers, she heard Edward stepping beside her.

"You're still angry?" he asked.

She sighed. "It's not that I'm angry, Edward. I worry about you and us. I don't think that we make sense."

"Don't say that," he pulled her into his arms from behind, making her drop the flowers in the kitchen sink. "Please." He hugged her to him, kissing her neck.

She turned in his arms, facing him. "That was not a normal reaction you displayed last Saturday. There's no excuse."

"I disagree. He was touching you inappropriately."

"He wanted to see my scar after my hip replacement. That's all."

"Bullshit," he said. "I know what I saw."

She looked him straight in the eyes. "I think you have major anger management issues. And you should seek help."

He laughed. He actually laughed at her words. "If I had anger management issues, the guy who walked you home, hugged and kissed you on the cheek, would now be sprawled on the pavement in front of your building with a broken jaw."

"It was Pedro, and we only talked," she told him quickly, terrified that Edward would go after the poor man.

He cocked his eyebrow. "The engineer guy? You told me that you wouldn't meet him again."

"He came to the hospital; he wanted to ask me out but I told him that I was dating someone. He walked me home… we're just friends."

He scowled. "I don't like you being friends with other men."

"Edward, I'm not going to meet him, or go out with him. We only talked the same as with Jasper."

He stepped back from her, pacing her small kitchen, running his hand through his thick hair. "I hate to see you speaking with someone normal, someone who has a normal job without all the fucked up background. If it were about Alice, I would prefer for her to be with someone like Jasper Hale or that Pedro the engineer, than with someone like me."

Her heart melted instantly. She pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him, squeezing tight. "Edward, I only want you, no one else," she assured him, "but I'm scared," she admitted.

He cupped her face between his hands. "Are you happy when we are together, just the two of us?"

She nodded. "Very much."

"See, we're good together. There will be bumps in the road, but we have to try." He kissed her gently. "Plus my mum told me she didn't want to see me until I returned in your good graces," he added dryly.

She giggled. "You're doing it for you mother then?" It was good to lift the mood a bit.

"What can I say?" He kissed her again. "I've always been a Mama's boy."

She shook her head, smiling. "Can you stay tonight?" she asked.

He grinned. "Do you have to even ask?"

Belle pulled away from him. She took the flowers out of the sink and divided them into two parts, so they would fit nicely into two vases that she had.

"I'm going to take a shower now; I hate to smell like a hospital," she said when she finished with the flowers.

"Take your time," he said, the smile not leaving his face.

How did he do it? Half an hour long conversation and she managed to forgo all her concerns and fears. She was weak. And he was good at convincing her to forgive him of any of his misgivings.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for being a beta for this chapter!**

Bella took her time, deciding to whether to have a bath or shower. She decided on a bath and soaked into the scented water for at least twenty minutes. She washed her hair and rubbed lotion into her skin. Putting on her normal sleeping wear, old t-shirt, accompanied by cotton shorts, she frowned at how ordinary it looked. It was comfortable but hardly elegant. She should really invest into something prettier.

As she walked into the living room, toweling her hair dry, Edward was sitting on the couch, and there were two boxes of pizza on the coffee table in front of him.

"There you are." He smiled, looking up at her. "You were in there for so long; I was beginning to worry."

"I like long baths," she said and plopped on the couch next to him.

"Good to know," he said, leaning to kiss her neck, his warm hand on her thigh. "You smell good."

"Its my lotion, jasmine and vanilla," she explained, snuggling closer to him, placing her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed. She could sit like that for hours, curled against him.

"Sweet." He kissed her neck one more time, before pulling away.

The smell of pizza assaulted her nose, making her open her eyes. Edward put two sizeable slices on a plate, giving it to her. "Eat," he said.

She sighed. "Thank you for ordering it, but I'm not hungry."

"You should eat; you look dead tired… I don't like those dark shadows under your eyes."

"You do know how to compliment a woman."

"I'm just worried about you; you work too hard. Eat, please, one slice."

She took a bite, chewing slowly. "Mmm, delicious."

They were eating in silence; she finished what was on her plate, while Edward had the rest of what was in the box.

She put her empty plate on the coffee table and snuggled to him again. He responded, rearranging her closer to him, pulling her legs over his, his arm wrapped around her.

"Have you thought about changing jobs?" he asked, stroking the expense of her thigh.

"No, why?" she murmured, confused by his question. She was sleepy, and she wasn't in the mood for conversation.

"I'm worried about you; you work too hard."

"Harborview is a great place. I agree that the work is challenging, but…"

He interrupted her. "You're tired and not even earning enough to cover the basic expenses," he pointed out.

"I'm doing just fine," she said, a warning in her tone.

He pulled away from her so she could see his face. "My father mentioned to me your conversation with Rose. He said that you told her that you didn't have money to go to the hairdresser."

She gaped at him unbelieving that his father had mentioned something like that to him. If she had suspected, she would have never spoken so freely within Carlisle Cullen's earshot. "That's not your father's business. He had no right to discuss that with you."

Edward reached out, putting a hand on her knee, squeezing it. "He hates to see you struggle like that. He talked to me about it because he thinks I shouldn't allow such a situation to happen when you can't afford the basic things like a haircut and he's right."

"I can afford a haircut. I have money," she stressed. "But, I have to plan my expenses ahead, and I still don't know how much the new elevator is going to cost," she told him, exasperated.

"Bella, I paid for the elevator," he said, looking her square in the eye. "You won't have to pay for it."

Her mouth fell open. "How…?"

"Does it matter how? Let's just say that I convinced the administration of the building to replace it."

She sat silently for a few moments, not knowing what to say. He had bought an elevator for her. The elevator. She had to repeat it in her head several times because she couldn't believe it. That was just… ridiculous. Also, it was sweet, and she was touched by his concern for her and his generosity. Admittedly, her life was much easier now when she didn't have to climb the stairs, or fear every day that she would end up trapped for hours in a metal box hanging by a few ropes. "Edward, you can't do things like that…" she said at last.

"Why?" He shrugged, obviously not seeing a problem.

"You just can't, it's too much," she told him.

"I only try to make things easier for you, take care of you."

"You are taking care of me, but it's enough when you are with me like now, or want to spend time with my brother, or take me to the cinema and dinner from time to time," she explained gently.

"Baby," he drew her to him again, kissing her temple. "I can't stand and watch as you struggle every day when I can easily help you."

She allowed him to embrace her. He wasn't getting her point at all. She didn't know what to say to get this through that thick head of his.

"As for your job," he continued, stroking her back. "I thought that perhaps you could start as a nurse at some private clinic or even better a private practice with a doctor, a pediatrician for example. You would work normal hours, not the nights like now. And here…" He reached into the pocket of his jeans, taking out a small card. "It's a gift card for Rosalie's place; it covers a hair cut and other things women like to have done."

She took the card from him, her eyes widening as she saw that it was entitling her to one thousand dollars of salon and spa services.

"Edward," she began trying to keep her voice calm, "I don't need you showering me with gifts, flowers from time to time is more than enough. I only want to be with you. And I'm doing just fine on my own; I dare say better than most people of my age in this country. I'm educated; I have a good job in my profession; I my own place and live in a wonderful city. I don't need a rich boyfriend to support me." In other words wrong address buddy.

"I only want to help you, make your everyday existence easier," he was repeating the same bullshit and kept stroking her back as if she was some pet.

"No, you want to control me!" she cried, her voice raising. "Can't you see how manipulating it is? You're interfering in my life."

"You're exaggerating."

"No, I'm not!" She jumped from the couch; her hands clenched into fists. "You bought me an elevator; you want me to change my job, you want to pay for my haircut? What else? Soon you will tell me that this apartment is not good enough for me, and you will buy me another one. Then you'll demand that I quit my job and live entirely on your expense. Then what? I will sit around all day long doing nothing, waiting for you to come home to fuck me?"

He stood up fluidly, straightening to his full height, glaring down at her. "Don't be vulgar, it doesn't suit you. As for fucking you, as you so elegantly put it, if I may remind you, we didn't even have sex."

Her arms slumped. Why was he doing this? Why was he trying to change her? "Edward, I don't think this is working," she said, defeated. "I'm just not right for you. You want someone different."

"I want you," he insisted, taking a step forward.

"You want to change me!" she cried.

"I only want to make your life easier!" he shouted.

She jerked at the tone of his voice, how angry it sounded. "I like my life the way it is, I worked hard for everything I have," she said, eyeing him warily.

He stepped away from her, running his hand through his hair, not speaking for a long time. "I respect you for that, but you don't have to struggle anymore." To her relief, his tone was much calmer.

"Because I found myself a rich boyfriend?"

"Because you found someone who wants to take care of you."

The conversation with Rosalie flashed before her eyes. Emmett's girlfriend had been right about this. Rosalie could stand up to Emmett, but Bella wasn't sure whether she was capable of being in such a relationship.

"Edward, I don't know if you don't get it, or just pretend not to understand my point of view, but you should go. It's obvious that it's not working between us. We shouldn't be together… it's just…" She took a calming breath, trying to fight the tears brimming her eyes.

"No, Bella, no." He touched her, cupping her face, but she refused to look into his eyes. "I'll do anything, just don't talk about separation."

He tried to embrace her, but she backed away. "I don't know Edward… it's just not working, first the fight with Jasper and now this…"

His arms wrapped tightly around her, entrapping her. "Bella, baby, please, don't do this now, you're tired and emotional. Get some rest first, tomorrow you'll look at everything differently."

Slowly she relaxed in his embrace. "You're right; I'm exhausted and sleepy." She didn't have the strength to fight him tonight. And, he was right that making a decision when she was tired and exhausted, after a sleepless night, was not the best idea.

"Let's get you to bed," he whispered, moving her towards the bedroom.

"I have to put the pizza in the fridge." She pointed to the box left on the coffee table.

"I'll do it," he said.

She nodded, and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Stumbling, she climbed into the bed, pulling the covers over her head. She wanted to sleep, just forget about everything and sleep.

She was awakened by what felt like moments later to Edward kissing her neck.

"I'll make you feel so good, baby," he whispered, his hand moving down, cupping her breast.

"Tired… want to sleep," she mumbled.

"You will," he assured, pulling down her shorts together with her panties. "Later."

He dipped under the covers and for a moment she stupidly didn't know why.

"Edward," she gasped, sitting up, now completely awake as she felt his lips on the inside of her thigh.

"Shush, relax," his muffled voice came to her. "Lay back." His hand on her shoulder pinned her down to the bed.

Bella listened, opening her legs wider.

"Good girl," he praised, wrapping one hand around her thigh, the other placed low on her tummy.

She stared into the darkness, realizing that he was playing her like a fiddle. She didn't want to break up with him, but at the same time, she couldn't allow to lose herself.

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Bella was jolted brutally awake by a never ending, persistent ringtone on her cell phone. She ignored it for a few minutes, buried in her comfortable bed, with Edward's heavy arm wrapped around her.

"If you don't turn it down, I will," he murmured in a thick voice from behind her.

For a moment, she considered that to be a very good idea, but then realized that the only person who could be so tenacious was her mother. If Edward answered that call…

Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed only to return to it, realizing that she was completely naked. God, last night was simply a disaster. She frowned at the pain between her legs. She certainly didn't expect it to hurt like a motherfucker. She'd been using tampons for some ten years, but Edward's penis was not the size of a tampon, obviously.

She glanced at Edward, who was now on his tummy, looking delicious and handsome as usual. She found her panties on the floor, and her t-shirt at the bottom of the bed tangled around Edward's huge foot. She put them on and went in search of her phone, wincing slightly as she walked.

"Hi, Mum," she murmured sleepily, not even checking the caller id.

"Bella, baby, at last, why aren't you answering my phone calls? I thought that something had happened to you."

Bella yawned, curling up on the kitchen chair. "Mum, you know that I was at work, we had a heavy load of patients, and I've been sleeping it off till just now."

"Well, I just want you to know that Riley is safely home with us and that he was delighted with his visit."

"I'm glad. Kiss him for me."

There was silence on the other end. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

She rolled her eyes. "No."

"Aghh… you're exactly like your father, yes, and no is the only answer!" her mother began her usual rant. "I have no one to talk to besides your brother! Why haven't you mentioned that you have a boyfriend?" she demanded.

"Mum, please, it's my private matter."

"What! I'm your mother! I have right to know. Besides you introduced him to Riley, so it's not a private matter anymore."

"Mom, please, there's not much to talk about, we are in the very early stages of dating."

"Do I look stupid, daughter of mine? Riley said that his parents invited you to spend a day at their home, that he swam in their pool and that Mrs. Cullen, your boyfriend's mother was very nice to him. It must be serious if you met his family. By the way, Edward Cullen is such a nice name, traditional sounding like from some romance novel. Lord Edward Cullen for example it has a nice ring to it, don't you think so?"

"Mum, just leave it alone for now ok," Bella begged.

"You met his family, so he must be serious about you," Renee insisted.

"Yes, mum, but I'm not that sure if I should be serious about him."

"Bring him home darling, I'll evaluate him for you. This weekend would be excellent."

"I'm working this weekend."

"The next weekend then." Renee wasn't giving up.

"Mum, I'm not sure," she began, but she jumped as strong arms wrapped around her, the phone being taken away from her. "We'll be there, Mrs. Swan. Thank you for the invitation," Edward said smoothly in his deep baritone.

With a panic, she watched as he walked away from her into the living room, casually speaking with Renee. She ran after him, trying to tear her phone from his hand. But even as she pulled at his arm with all her might forcefully, he was too strong for her.

The bastard only grinned down at her, charming the pants off her mother. "That was a pleasure, Mrs. Swan. Riley is a great company; I enjoyed spending time with him and Bella."

Her mother was talking again, but soon Edward finished the call saying. "We'll be there around midday Mrs. Swan. It was a pleasure to speak with you, and once again thank you for the invitation. Goodbye."

He gave her the phone, satisfied smirk playing on his face.

"What have you done?" she cried, staring at him in horror.

He shrugged. "I talked to your mother."

"We can't go there!"

"Why?"

"Because when my father realizes who you are that will be the end between us, he will order me to return home and find a job in Port Angeles."

"And you will listen to him?"

"No, but I will have to choose between you and them and I don't want to do that."

"It won't be that bad Bella; it won't come to that," he dismissed her worry. "I'll talk with you father, don't worry about that, as for your mum, I think that she already likes me."

She dropped on the couch, hiding her face in her arms supported on her thighs. Edward didn't know what he was talking about - her father would go ballistic.

"So." He sat next to her. "You're not sure whether you should be serious about me. Interesting. That's rather strange taking into consideration that you've just given your virginity to me."

She could feel the wave of deep embarrassment heating her face. "Can we forget about it?" she moaned.

"Hmm. You know I had some suspicions, but I just thought that you were shy, or keeping me at distance. But last night, you were so eager that it never came to me that it was the first time for you until it was obvious."

She glared at him. "I was eager because I was aroused after your oral ministrations."

"You mean after I licked your pussy till you tore out a handful of my hair?" He reached a hand to his head and rubbed a spot on top of it. "I think that I may have actually have a bald spot here."

If it was even possible, she blushed even more. "Arrogant jerk," she murmured.

"But seriously, you thought that I wouldn't notice?" he taunted her.

"I wasn't thinking ok? I thought that it would go smoother but obviously you're much bigger than a tampon."

He burst out in laughter. "You're funny this morning."

"Shut up!" She hit him with a pillow.

His arm curled around her. "You should have told me. We would have waited; I would have tried to make it better for you." He was serious now.

"God, do we have to talk about it!" she cried. "What's the big deal? It happened. End of the story. Do we really have to discuss it in such a detail?"

He rubbed her back, kissing the top of her head. "There's no reason to be ashamed that you waited for the right man."

She pulled away from him. "I wasn't waiting for anything, end with this bullshit now, because you're getting on my nerves," she hissed through her teeth.

"Yes, I can see that," he said quietly.

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her to him. Gradually, she relaxed in his embrace.

"Are you ok?" he asked tenderly.

"Yes." She nodded in his chest.

"I've got a meeting this morning; I have to go now," he whispered into her neck, his breath tickling her skin.

He got dressed quickly, and she walked him to the door. He enveloped her into his arms one more time. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, baby," he said, cupping her face. "On the contrary. I love you, Bella."

She blinked. What did he say?

"Take a long bath, and have a rest today." He gave her bottom a squeeze. "I'll call you later."

He was gone, and she stared at the closed door.

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Bella took a warm bath, which helped to ease the soreness in her muscles. Next, she treated herself to a healthy late breakfast. As she pondered over what she should do with the rest of her day, her eyes fell on the gift card that Edward had tried to give her yesterday. She had to admit that it was very thoughtful of him to give her this. What other man would have thought about his woman in such a way? Was she an ungrateful bitch to come on to him so strongly yesterday? Was she going too far with marking her independence? He had exaggerated pressuring her into changing her job, but as for other matters perhaps she should allow him to take care of her if that was so important for him? She was not used to someone looking after her like that, but it was definitely a nice feeling.

Reaching for her cell phone, Bella found Angela's number in the contacts. Her friend picked up after three rings.

"Bella, hi!" Angela chirped happily.

"Hey, what are you doing today?" Bella asked, modulating her tone of voice to match her friend's cheeriness. "Any plans?"

There was a long suffering sigh on the other side. "I should do some cleaning because Ben's mother is coming to visit this weekend."

"Monster in law is coming?" Bella joked badly. It was not a secret that Angela and Mrs. Chenney weren't exactly the best of friends.

"Yeah, I'll have to hear how undernourished and skinny her baby boy looks. And that it'd be much much better for us to return to Forks."

"Yeah, close to her, so she could poke her nose into your business," Bella summarized. "And, I told you so many times, don't listen to her! Ben looks much better now than back in high school. He's happy with you; anyone can see that."

"Perhaps I will pretend that I have to work and leave Ben alone with his mother? I could stay with you…"

"While she's going to snoop around in your home."

"Good point," Angle agreed quickly.

"Hey, don't beat yourself down. I have something to improve your mood."

"Oh?" Angel sounded interested.

"Yes, I have a gift card to a hair salon for one thousand dollars of beauty treatments and I'm inviting you to come with me."

"Lucky bitch, let me guess, Mr. Corleone has been spoiling you?"

"Don't call him that!" Bella cried more sharply than she intended. She hated to be reminded of Edward's other life.

"Sorry, that was out of line." Angela's voice was quiet and regretful.

Bella took a calming breath. "It is me who's sorry. That's a touchy subject for me. I prefer not be reminded of certain aspects of his life."

"I get it, but hey, I think that this it is actually a perfect idea for both of us to spend an afternoon together. I haven't had a haircut in ages."

"Great!" Bella enthused. "Meet me at the salon in an hour?" Angela agreed, and Bella told her the address of Rosalie's place.

As she was getting ready, she hoped that seeing Rosalie wouldn't be too awkward after what had happened last Saturday. Bella had genuinely come to like Emmett's girlfriend, and she wanted to ask about Jasper, hoping that he was all right.

It was almost one when Bella entered Rosalie's salon. She'd expected something very modern and minimalistic like white walls, glass everywhere, and concrete flooring. But the place was very retro, old glamour style, reminding her of late forties or early fifties. It was fun, in pastel colors but chic and sleek at the same time.

"Hi, Bella!" Angela lifted from the plush sofa, abandoning the newspaper she'd been reading.

They hugged. "Have you been waiting long?" Bella worried.

"No, ten minutes at the most," Angela assured.

They walked to the receptionist, who sat behind an antique looking breakfast bar if Bella guessed correctly.

"Hi," she said, smiling at the young girl. Her name tag said Letizia. "Can we see Rosalie?"

The girl cocked one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "You mean Ms. Hale?"

"Yes, Rosalie Hale," Bella said, putting the gift card from Edward on the polished counter. "We have a gift card."

The girl's eyes widened at she read the card, before looking Angela and Bella up and down.

"Bella, what a great surprise!" Turning around, she saw Rosalie coming towards them. "I didn't expect you, but I'm so glad that you reconsidered and came." Rosalie kissed the air next to Bella's cheeks. "Who's your friend?" she asked, smiling at Angela.

"This is Angela, my bestest and oldest friend, we went to high school together; she is a nurse too, and we work together at Harborview."

Angela and Rosalie shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Rosalie seemed genuinely pleased to have them here.

"I got this from Edward," Bella said, showing her the gift card.

"I can't say that I'm surprised," Rosalie noted. "Letizia told me that a few days ago some extremely handsome guy had bought the most expensive gift card we had. I should have guessed it was Edward."

Bella smiled awkwardly. "We know that we don't have an appointment, but we'd like a haircut."

"That's not problem. A client cancelled her appointment because her kid got sick, and I have an opening. One of the hairdressers will be finishing in twenty minutes, and she can take care of Angela."

"Thank you Rosalie," Bella said, touching her arm. "I can see that you have many clients, thank you for taking us without an appointment."

"Come, come," Rosalie gestured them to follow her. It turned out that there were stairs at the back of the place leading to another level.

"How many floors are here?" Bella asked.

"We use the entire building actually. Ground floor is reception, and a waiting area, here as you can see, are hairstylists, the second floor is taken up by makeup artists, and the spa is on the third floor."

"Wow," Bella awed. "It's very impressive."

"I'm very lucky," Rosalie agreed.

"Bella!" Her name being called from across the room. To her surprise, it was Alice, wearing a cute white uniform, running towards them.

"Alice!" She returned the girl's hug. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I work here during the summer," the girl admitted as if embarrassed of her occupation.

"That's lovely," Bella assured.

"I wash hair and clean a bit," Alice explained awkwardly. "Daddy thinks that I should learn the real value of money," she added, pouting, her arms crossed over her chest.

"After your last shopping spree you can't really blame him," Rosalie pointed out coldly.

Bella smiled warmly at the young girl, trying to hide her own state of amazement at finding Edward's sister here, working like any other high school junior during the summer. Even more, she was astonished that Carlisle Cullen stood behind this. In her opinion, it was very wise of him as a matter of fact.

Bella put her arm around Alice. "I think that it's wonderful and must be fun to be here instead of sitting home all summer with your parents."

Alice nodded eagerly, her face brightened. "It is fun, so many interesting people coming here."

Rosalie decided it was time to remind her young employee about her duties. "Alice, wash Bella's hair, and later Mrs. Chenney's. Jane will take care of Mrs. Chenney once she's finished with Mrs. Mills and I will style Bella's hair." Having said that, she excused herself for a few minutes.

With her hair washed, Bella sat in a chair Alice pointed out to her in front of large floor length mirror. Soon, Rosalie was behind her, combing her long hair.

"Just as we talked on Saturday, some shortening and layering, right?" she asked, scissors in her hand.

Bella smiled. "Yes, I trust you."

Rosalie began her work, little silver scissors flying around Bella's head.

"How is Jasper?" Bella asked tentatively.

"Oh, he's fine," Rosalie assured almost dismissively.

"I'm sorry about what happened," she said quietly. "I told Edward what I thought about his behavior. Before that, I hadn't talked to him for three days."

Rosalie sighed. "Yes, I tried that with Emmet as well. Doesn't work in the long run. I don't speak to him; then we quarrel and usually end up in bed together. It's always the same."

"Yeah, I know that scenario."

"Don't worry about Jasper. He brought it on himself in a way. He should have known better. He knew how hot headed Edward can be, Emmett too for that matter."

"I'm glad that your brother is fine."

"His pride was hurt more than anything else. I suspect that Jasper imagines that he would like to have a shot with you, but, of course, that's impossible with Edward in the picture."

Rosalie finished cutting and began blow drying and styling Bella's hair.

Bella didn't even look in the mirror, thinking about what Rosalie had said. "How long have you been with Emmett?" she asked.

"Almost two years. I applaud myself that I resisted marriage for so long, but I don't think that any longer."

Bella looked up. "You plan to break up with him?"

"On the contrary, I'm planning to marry him and soon," she paused. "I'm pregnant. I did a test this morning."

"Wow. Congratulations! Holes in the condoms must have worked."

Rosalie grinned. "It seems so, but I'm happy. I try not to worry, you know. But please, it's a secret for now. It's still very early, and I want to tell him in a few weeks. I want to wait before he goes all crazy on me, forbidding me to work and feeding me obsessively because the baby needs nourishment."

"I won't tell."

Rosalie winked. "I know." She ran a brush through her hair a few more times. "All done."

Bella looked in the mirror. Her hair looked great, but she stared at herself in shock, not because of a change in her appearance.

Something had just dawned on her. They hadn't used a condom last night.

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"You're awfully quiet tonight," Edward noted, stroking the nape of her neck leisurely with the pads of his fingers.

Bella shivered in pleasure under his touch. "Just thinking."

They were snuggled on the huge sofa in Edward's apartment; Bella sprawled on top of him. He'd proposed a movie night earlier today and of course as his TV was incomparably better than hers they ended up in his place.

His hand moved down her back. "About?" He kissed the top of her head.

"About today."

He switched their positions so now he was hovering over her. "I thought that you enjoyed your visit at Rosalie's salon with Angela, you know your only girls day out," he said with a frown.

"Oh, I did, very much actually," she assured. "Rosalie is wonderful. I really like her, and I don't, usually, take to people so quickly."

"Yeah, I noticed. It took you long enough to warm up to me," he remarked dryly.

She decided to ignore his comment. "We talked a bit while she was doing my hair, and our conversation made me think about certain matters."

"Like what?" he asked, sounding suspicious.

"It's between her and me," she told him, having not intention of going into any details. She'd given her word that she would keep a secret and Edward was very sneaky. She was not going to give him any clues. "I just realized how irresponsibly I acted last night."

"You regret it?" He looked worried. "I know that it was disappointing for you, but it'll get better. I promise." He leaned down to kiss her.

She broke the kiss before he could deepen it. "I meant that it was irresponsible of us not to use protection," she clarified.

His expression turned flat. "I do hope that as a result of your meeting with Rosalie you haven't taken any pharmaceutical shit to prevent pregnancy," he said coldly, his hands tightening on her body.

She blinked, taken aback with his reaction. "No. I haven't even thought about morning- after pill."

His face and body relaxed instantly at her words. "Don't stress, ok? We shall see what happens…"

"Easy for you to say," she grunted, glancing away from him. She still could not believe how stupid she'd been. She was in her mid-twenties, educated and a professional health practitioner. She was not some teenager with her first boyfriend. She should have known better. Edward was seriously turning her brain into mush.

"Baby." He touched her chin to make her look into his eyes. "It's all right, don't worry yourself over this. If you're pregnant, we'll get married, I won't leave you on your own with a baby if that's what you're worried about."

Her eyes widened. Rosalie was right about him! Bella sat up, freeing herself from his embrace. "You can't be serious, Edward. Marriage? We barely know each other."

His eyes darkened, his expression hardened, but he said nothing.

"In the past, have you wanted to marry every girl you thought that you got in trouble?" she asked curiously.

He looked at her for a long moment, his face hard to read. "Do you really think that I was so on the spur of the moment last night, that I completely lost control over myself to the point where I forgot to use protection?"

"Yes?" she whispered hopefully. She didn't like to think that he was acting according to some plan when being with her.

"Baby, let's be rational about this. I'm thirty-one, and I can assure you that I have no children. If I didn't have protected sex in the past, I would now have at least a few running around."

She stared at him dumbly.

He shook his head. "Do I have to spell it out for you? I was careless last night because I wouldn't mind a child with you, perhaps not now when as you so graciously pointed out, we know each other so little, but definitely in the future." He stood up from the sofa. "I'm hungry. Do you want to go out or shall we order something in?"

Still struck with his confession, she said. "I'd like to eat out tonight." Some fresh air would do her good.

They didn't talk much on their way to the restaurant. Edward chose the same place they had been before, and even though it was crowded, they were immediately seated in a secluded booth near the window.

Bella was just finishing her risotto when her phone began to ring. As she checked the flashing screen, she saw that it was her father. She swallowed what she had in her mouth before answering. "Dad?"

"Bells where are you?" Charlie's voice was sharp and alien sounding. "Are you at work?"

"No, I'm not working tonight."

"Where are you then?" he demanded.

"At the restaurant," she responded softly.

"With him?" Charlie sounded furious. "Baby girl, what are you doing? When your mother told me the name of your new boyfriend, I could not believe it! But when I interrogated your brother, he confirmed it. Don't you know who he is? Are you out of your mind? And you took your brother to their home? How could you?"

"Dad, please," she begged, looking over at Edward. Her father was shouting into the phone so loudly that Edward must have heard some of it, sitting so close to her.

"Which restaurant?" Charlie wanted to know. "Where are you exactly? I'm coming for you."

"Dad, wait for me there, ok? I'll be with you as soon as I can," she said, disconnecting the call.

Not speaking a word, Edward stood up, extending his hand to her. "Come, I'll take you to your father."

They were silent on their ride to her apartment, and even though she felt his eyes on her often, she didn't return his gaze.

She stopped him when he wanted to enter the elevator with her. "No, I'm going alone."

"It's better if I'll explain everything to him," Edward said.

She shook her head. "No, it would only make everything worse. You can't go there with me."

"Bella," he started, but she put a hand on his mouth.

"No, you must stay away. I'll deal with him on my own, take responsibility for my actions. I knew that this was unavoidable since the moment we began to date. It was just a matter of time."

She stepped into the elevator, watching his strained face as the door slowly closed. Shutting her eyes, she leaned against the wall. Oh, why did everything have to be so difficult?

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing!_

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

_**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for correcting it!**_

Bella's father was pacing with his hands crossed over his chest in front of the door to her apartment.

"Bella!"he exclaimed as soon as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Dad," she managed a smile, stepping into his comforting embrace.

"There, there." Charlie patted her back affectionately, before pushing her away at the arm's length. "Isabella Marie Swan can you explain yourself? What did you get yourself into?"

"Let's go in," she said, taking out her keys.

Charlie followed her inside but refused to take a seat on the couch.

"Are you hungry dad?" She was stalling, she knew that, but her father was always more amendable with some food in his stomach.

But Charlie wasn't fooled, glaring down at her from his over six foot height, his hands on his hips. "Explain yourself now, young lady."

She sighed. "What do you want you know?" she asked, resigned.

"How did this happen? Where did you meet him?"

"He was my patient, and he asked me out when he was leaving the hospital," she explained simply. She didn't find it necessary to go into details. Her father wouldn't like to hear that Edward had a gunshot wound and the FBI had been after him and her for that matter.

His expression softened. "He must have deceived you, that cunning piece of shit; he's just like his father. Bella, don't you realize who he and his family are? That bastard… pretends to be an upstanding citizen in front of an honest woman."

"Dad, it's not like that…" she began to see that there was no point in pretending that she wasn't aware of Edward's background and family connections. "I know who he is and what he is doing. I knew from the very beginning. I know as well that you worked for the Cullens, that you hid Emmett Cullen in our home when I was in the hospital."

Charlie blinked heavily, his complexion turning paler than usual. "He told you that?" he demanded after a minute of stunned silence.

"About Emmett?" She shook her head. "No, dad. The FBI agents told me."

"The FBI?" Charlie's eyes widened. "What have you gotten yourself into?" he asked for the countless time.

"Nothing dad," she assured. "When I began dating Edward, they came to me. They wanted me to work for them, spying on the Cullens through my connection with Edward. Naturally, I didn't agree to that." Seeing her father's terrified expression, she added quickly. "Edward took care of it and they haven't bothered me since."

Charlie ran a shaking hand over his face. "You're not going to stay here," he told her.

"What?" she asked, not understanding him.

"You're returning with me now, tonight. You'll take only the most necessary things, and come back home. You will quit your job, change your phone number and start working in Fork's hospital, or Port Angeles; they're looking for nurses."

She was shaking her head now as her father kept talking. "We will put your apartment on the market. You'll live with us for now, and then we'll find you a nice home in our neighborhood."

Bella looked at her father as if he had lost his mind. "Dad, I'm not going anywhere," she interrupted him. "I'm staying here. My life, my work, my everything is here."

Charlie grabbed her arms, jerking her forward, staring intensively into her face. "Bells, you don't understand… you have to separate yourself from him before it's too late, cut all the ties otherwise you'll never be able to get away from him, from them."

"Dad, I'm not going anywhere," she repeated evenly. "We have our problems, but he's good to me," she paused, looking straight into her father's eyes whose color matched her own. "I like him. I'm in love with him."

She expected a new outburst by Charlie, him trying to convince her otherwise, but surprisingly he let her go, moving past her.

"You bastard!" Charlie hollered.

Bella turned around to see Edward walking into the room. She hadn't even heard him coming in. "I told you to stay away!" she cried, fearing that a fight might occur between the two men.

Edward seemed to ignore her; his eyes concentrated on her father. "Chief Swan," he said curtly, nodding his head in acknowledgment.

Without warning, Charlie grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "What do you want with her?" he shouted.

Bella grabbed Charlie's arm, trying to disentangle him from Edward. "Dad, let him go! Let him go!"

But it was as if he wasn't hearing her in his fury. "She's a good, honest girl! What do you want with her?!" he repeated, pushing Edward into the wall, causing a few books to fall from the bookshelf.

"Dad, stop!" Bella cried, still trying to pull him desperately away from Edward.

Edward didn't try to defend himself. He was calm. "We'll talk, Chief Swan, but you should let go off me unless you want her hurt," he said, not raising his voice.

Only then did Charlie turn his head, noticing Bella, her hands clenched into his jacket trying to pull him away, her teary eyes beseeching him. Breathing heavily, he stepped away.

"I think we should talk somewhere in private," Edward announced, straightening his clothes. "Just you and me," he told the older man. "Not in front of Bella."

Charlie seemed to think for a moment before giving a curt nod of his head. "Fine," he grunted.

Without sparing her a single glance, both men turned into the direction of the entrance.

"Wait!" she cried. "Where are you going?"

"Stay here, Bells," her father told her strictly.

"No way, I'm going with you!" She had no intention of allowing them to go on their own. They would kill each other.

Edward stepped to her, wrapping his arm around her waist, his hand cupping her face. "Don't worry baby, everything is going to be fine," he assured her. She instantly relaxed under his touch, surrounded by his warmth and scent. She could feel her father's eyes on her, but she didn't dare to look at him. "Take a long bath, and try to get some sleep, don't wait for us." Edward kissed her forehead, and all too soon pulled away from her.

Charlie was already marching through the open door.

"Just be careful!" Bella cried as they both stepped into the elevator. Edward gave her a mechanical smile while Charlie looked ready to murder him.

She went back to her apartment and sat on the couch. She wrapped a blanket around herself, staring at the large clock on the wall she'd once bought at a yard sale. It was ten minutes to ten. How long before they would be back? She prayed that they wouldn't hurt one another. Edward seemed to be in control of himself, but her father less so.

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"Bella, Bells," she heard her name as if through fog. "Wake up. You need to change and go to bed. It's very late."

Blinking her eyes against the sudden light, she sat up, her body stiff as she had fallen asleep wearing her jacket and shoes.

"Dad?" she whispered hoarsely, focusing her vision on Charlie's face hovering above her. "What's the time?"

Charlie stroked her head. "It's late, honey, go to bed."

"Where's Edward?"

"I'm here."

Her gaze flew to the far end of the living room, where Edward stood alone; his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans.

Without a second thought, she moved past her father, throwing herself into Edward's arms.

He hugged her to him, squeezing so hard that it was almost painful. "Are you all right?" she asked, pulling away from him to look into his face. The room was shrouded in semi darkness that made it difficult to read his expression.

Edward was silent, so she turned to Charlie. "Dad? Is everything all right?"

Her father walked to them. "I thought that we'd wait until tomorrow morning but perhaps it's better to deal with it now."

Bella kept looking from one man to the other. "What's going on?" she asked.

Edward's arms dropped from around her, and he stepped back.

Charlie spoke first. "We talked and Mr. Cullen agreed with me that for your own good you should return home with me and end your relationship."

Bella's eyes flew to the younger man. "Edward?"

He looked her in the eye. "I agreed …" he cleared his throat, his voice hoarse. "I gave my word that I would not pursue you if you decide to leave with your father now."

"You want that?" she asked him, her heart beating wildly. She could not believe that he gave his consent to something like that.

Edward shrugged. "Like I want to have my arm cut off."

She eyed Charlie. "I've told you already, Dad; I'm not leaving; my life is here, not in Forks."

Edward's hand sought hers, enveloping her small fingers in his much larger hand. She looked at him with a smile, mutual understanding shining in their eyes.

Charlie pulled at her arm, drawing her attention to him. "Don't you understand this is the only chance for you to get away from him and to have a normal life?" he demanded. "He won't give you a second opportunity like this."

"Dad, you have to understand me," she pleaded. "I am so happy with him; we just fit together, I feel at peace with him. I've never felt anything like this with anyone else, and I doubt that it will happen to me ever again."

"Bella, do you have any idea what his and his family's business is?" Charlie asked seriously.

"I know, but he's good to me… and he's not a bad person deep inside, I can feel it."

Her father covered his face with his hand, closing his eyes. "Do you hear yourself?" he asked a moment later, looking at her again. "Do you hear what you're talking about or perhaps he's already given you some of the drugs that he's selling to the kids at schools all over town. You're not acting like yourself. What's happening to you?"

"Dad, please…"

"He's a criminal!" Charlie roared.

"Dad, I don't want to be away from him," she said, trying to sound calm and sure of herself.

Charlie stared at her for a long, tensioned minute. "You're coming home with me," he said eventually, grasping at her hand. "I'm not going to leave you here with him," he announced, pulling her to the door.

"Dad, no!" she cried, digging her heels into the floor. "I'm not a child! You can't make me!"

"Chief Swan," Edward stepped between them. "We had an agreement. Obviously, she wants to stay here with me."

"You bastard!" Charlie's voice shook as he looked at Edward. "Do you think that I'll just leave her here with you?"

"I won't ever hurt her, I'll take care of her," Edward vowed.

"Bullshit!" Charlie cried, again pulling at her hand.

"No!" she shouted, managing to free her arm, hiding behind Edward, who said. "Chief Swan, I think that we should try to be civil to each other for Bella's sake."

"Fuck off my daughter and my family Cullen!" Charlie hollered in response, before zeroing his now darkened eyes on Bella. "If you stay here now with him, your family is dead to you. You won't have contact with me, your mother or brother."

Bella's eyes widened and she shook her head. She couldn't believe that her father would do something like that.

"Are you coming with me?" Charlie asked.

She stood close to Edward; his arm wrapped tightly around her.

Charlie straightened, glaring down at her. "Fine, if that's what you want. You have no family from now on. You're welcome back only if you return to your senses, and separate yourself from him."

With those words, her father walked away without another glance in her direction.

"Dad, where are you going?" she cried after him. "Dad, it's late, where are you going to spend the night?" she worried, freeing herself from Edward's embrace and following Charlie.

But he ignored her, marching out of her apartment and to the elevator. "Dad, don't go," she begged as her father waited for the elevator to open. "Stay till morning. Where are you going at this hour?"

She tried to reach for his hand, but he didn't let her touch him. "Dad, please," she whispered as he stepped into the elevator.

He didn't look at her even once as the metal door slid across slowly as if she wasn't even there.

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"You're still in bed?" Edward asked, standing in the doorway to her bedroom. "It's midday."

Bella rolled over on her side to see him better. He looked rather alien in her feminine bedroom, especially when dressed as he was now in a navy blue, sharply cut suit. He must have had meetings this morning because even his hair was neatly smoothed back.

He stared down at her with a frown for a moment, before removing his jacket, draping it over a nearby chair, and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Reaching his hand, he cupped her face. "Don't you have work today?"

"I called the hospital and told them I caught something. I said that I had a high fever and was vomiting. Angela took my shift. She was quite happy about it because her mother in law is visiting this weekend."

His frown deepened, so she added. "Don't worry; I've never used many sick days before. I won't get in trouble."

"Baby, it's been two days, you can't keep this up. You've barely eaten; you either sleep or stare at the walls." He stroked her cheek. "I'm worried about you."

She gave him a solemn look and managed a small smile. "I just need a few days to recuperate, and get back to my old self."

"Your father will come around eventually," he assured her.

"You don't know him; he'll never speak to me again."

"Oh, come on, that's not true, I can't believe that he wouldn't want to see his grandkids one day."

She put a hand over her eyes. "No grandchildren for now, one bit of good news is that I got my period."

His warm hand left her cheek which caused her to look at him. Was that disappointment written on his face?

"Come on, baby, it's so not like you." He rubbed her back.

"Surprise, surprise, you've been acquainted with the depressed version of me."

He sighed, and then pulled at her arm gently but firmly, trying to lift her up. "Come, I'll prepare a bath for you."

"Do I have to?" she moaned unenthusiastically.

"Yes, you do. You smell," he told her, standing up, pulling her with him out of the bed.

"I do not smell," she argued, glaring at him.

She had a shower yesterday; she didn't smell.

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Bella walked into the kitchen, wrapped in her fluffy bathrobe, her feet cushioned in bunny sleepers. Edward was busy opening plastic takeout containers, putting food on plates. At least he gave up cooking for her himself.

"Sit down," he said not looking at her, concentrating on the job at hand.

"All my favorites," she commented gratefully, taking a seat at the table that she had herself scrubbed clean and painted white last winter.

"Eat," he said, putting a plate with fettuccini carbonara in front of her.

"It's very good," she said, tasting pasta.

Edward started to eat too, and they were silent for a while.

"I believe that your father will change his mind in time," he said when he had cleaned his plate. "He loves you very much; that's obvious. He would do anything for you, trust me, I know that. He's angry and worried about you now, but I can't imagine him not maintaining any contact with you, the same goes for your mother and brother."

"You don't know him as well as I do," she said, taking their empty plates and carrying them into the sink. "When Charlie sets his mind on something, that's it, he won't ever budge."

Edward came to stand next to her, leaning against the counter. She was washing the plates mechanically as he moved behind her. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist; his chin supported on her shoulder. "I hate to see you so beaten down by this but I can't let you go."

"I don't want to go," she said, putting clean plates on the dryer rack. She turned to face him. "You know that my dad never punished me, like grounding me for instance or cutting back on my pocket money..."

"You're such a good and kind person, why should he punish you?" he said, playing with the belt of her robe.

"Oh, I had my moments when growing up, trust me, but he rarely even raised his voice at me. When I did something wrong, he simply let me know that he was disappointed in me, and that was absolutely the worst thing."

"What do you mean?"

"During those times, he stopped noticing me, refused to talk to me and acknowledge me as if I wasn't even there. It lasted until I improved myself, showed that I was sorry, apologized... I was ready to do everything to make him see me again, treat me with love, attention and the kindness I was used to from him."

"It wouldn't work for me if my father had ever tried doing that to me," Edward noted. "I would rather run away from home first."

"Well, for me it worked and very well too. I hated to feel his disappointment in me."

"You're saying that he's using emotional blackmail now?" he guessed.

"Yes, he knows how close I am with my mother and Riley. He thinks I won't be able to stay away from them for long."

"He hopes that you'll choose them over me," he summarized.

"Yes."

"Will you?" Edward asked after a moment of silence.

She shook her head. "I won't. He can't dictate my life, but I'll find a way to repair my relationship with them, I have to."

"That's the Bella Swan I recognize." He grinned, rocking her playfully in place. "And I'll help you, baby. I think that I have Riley and your mum on our side already."

She placed her head on his chest, snuggling closer to him to which he responded by embracing her securely. "I haven't asked you about what my father and you talked about that night."

"Hmm…" he murmured.

"Well?" She looked up at him. "Will you tell me?"

"That was a man to man talk."

"That's all I'm going to hear?"

He shrugged. "Your father is not stupid or naïve; he has no illusions… there was very little I could say to convince him to reconsider me as someone worthy enough to be in your life. He had his opinion about me formed before I could say anything. All my hope was in you and you didn't disappoint me."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing hard.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I think that I love you too," she answered back.

He pushed away from her to see her face. "You think that you love me?"

"I know that I'm in love with you," she clarified. "As for love itself… we shall see."

He cupped her cheeks. "You're extremely sensible and down to earth."

She rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not. If I were sensible and down to earth, I wouldn't be here with you but in Forks with my family. I would have done what my father had told me to do."

He said nothing to this, only kissed her passionately. If that was his way to distract her, it was working very well.

"When's your next shift?" he asked a moment later, nuzzling her neck.

"Wednesday night, why?"

He stepped back from her. "Dress comfortably, pack your toothbrush and swimsuit," he told her.

"Why?"

"We're leaving within an hour."

"Where?"

"California. We own a hotel in Pismo Beach. It's beautiful; you'll love it."

"California?" she repeated dumbly.

"For a few days. These past months have been emotional and difficult for both of us. We need rest."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he must have read her intention, and placed a finger on her lips. "No buts, we're going. The plane is waiting for us."

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The suite was breathtaking with panoramic windows and an oceanfront patio.

"Wow," Bella said in awe, looking around. "Just wow," she repeated, sitting shyly on the edge of a large, sectional sofa.

"It's pretty modest, only one bedroom, unfortunately, the penthouse suite is currently taken," Edward said as if apologizing to her.

"It's beautiful, I can't imagine anything better," she assured him, stepping out onto the patio.

She felt strong hands enveloping her waist.

"Like it?" he asked.

"Are you kidding?" She looked up at him. "I lack words. I've never been to such an elegant hotel."

"Never?" he sounded unbelieving.

"My father is a big fan of camping, hiking and close contact with nature; he despises hotels. Throughout my entire childhood, I was more familiar with a tent in the middle of a forest than any hotel service. I backpacked Europe together with Angela before our senior year in college, but understandably, we stayed at the cheapest places, student hostels mostly."

"Really? Where did you go exactly?"

"Well, almost everywhere," she told him proudly. "We had that trip planned since high school and we saved for ages to be able to afford it. We saw Paris, Rome, Milan, Prague, Cracow, London, Barcelona, Granada, and more.

"That must have been fun," he commented.

"Yes, truly a wonderful experience and a real test for our friendship too."

She freed herself from his embrace to see the rest of the suite. A large gasp escaped her at the sight of huge spa like bathroom.

"Four people could fit in it," she said, sitting on the edge of large, oval tub.

"You can try it now," Edward said leaning against the doorframe.

"Perhaps later," she said, standing up. "Look, there is even a balcony!" she exclaimed.

He chuckled. "It's wonderful to see how enthusiastic you can be; it's very refreshing."

She ran to him, winding her arms around his neck. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're most welcome," he said, kissing her. His hands moved down, and cupped her ass.

"Bella…" he murmured reaching under her skirt with one hand touching the back of her upper thigh." Are you very uncomfortable?"

She frowned. "No, why?"

"I mean, your period."

"No, I don't have cramps like usual, and the bleeding is pretty light."

He began unzipping the back of her sundress. "I'm dying here, baby, I haven't had a good fuck since I met you," he murmured into her neck.

She stiffened in his arms. Has she heard him right?

His eyes were wide and panicked. "Shit. Did I say that out loud?"

She pushed away from him. "That was not the most romantic thing to hear, M. Cullen."

"Forgive me, baby, I shouldn't have said that." His eyes were searching hers pleadingly, and he looked contrite.

She put her hands on her hips; her eyes narrowed. "What about that night when we made love for the first time? That doesn't count?"

He tried to draw her back to him, but she resisted.

"Sure that counts baby, it's just that I tried to be gentle and … and after such a long time of abstinence, it was hardly very satisfying."

She gave him a sobering look. "We met four months ago; it hasn't been that long," she told him.

"Christ, are you kidding me? Before you, I hadn't gone more than a few days without sex."

She remembered then what the FBI agents had said; that he was a womanizer. She considered if she should ask about the woman or rather women who were responsible for the quality and frequency of his sexual life in the past. Perhaps it would be better not to go there. He seemed devoted to her now, trying hard for her. He'd been so patient. She didn't want him to wait anymore.

"What about blood?" she asked shyly. "Don't you mind…?"

"I don't mind," he said without hesitation.

She opened her mouth to tell him that she was afraid to stain the sheets, but seeing the eager look on his face; she didn't say anything. She didn't want him to think that she was rejecting him that she didn't want him because it was far from truth.

Cupping his face between her hands, she said. "Why don't you undress and wait for me in bed? I'll be back in a minute."

He grinned, and his eyes lit up. She pushed him out of the bathroom, a wide smile never leaving his handsome face.

Left alone, she used the toilet and removed the tampon. That would be way too awkward if Edward had to do it once they were in bed. She noticed that there was very little blood on it, just light spotting, which was rather strange. On the second day of her period, it should be soaked after wearing it for a few hours.

She removed her dress completely, her panties and bra followed. She let her hair down loose on her shoulders and back. For a moment, she thought to step out naked, but she quickly changed her mind. Last time it had been dark, and he hadn't seen that much of her body. She wasn't particularly insecure of her body, but not quite bold enough to show up naked in daylight.

Unfortunately, she didn't have anything nice to wear to bed. She wrapped one of the thick white hotel towels around herself, deciding that it was a better choice than the oversized t-shirt she'd packed.

Her heart hammering in her chest, she walked out of the bathroom. The bedroom was on the other end of the suite; the door was wide open.

She ran across the spacious living area, stopping in the doorway. Edward was sitting bare chested in bed, his eyes devouring her.

"Come here," he murmured in a thick voice, extending his hand to her.

She padded to the bed and climbed under the covers next to him.

"Do you have condoms?" she asked before he could touch her.

"Yeah, in my bag," he answered distractedly, leaning for a kiss, his hands tugging at the front of her towel, tearing it from her.

She placed a hand on his chest. "Go get them. It's better to have them close by and not in the other room."

He didn't look particularly happy. "But it feels so much better without one," he argued. "Besides you can't get pregnant when you have your period."

"Yes, I can; the chances are small, but it's still possible."

"You're kidding me."

"No, I'm not kidding you, now go." She pushed at his hairy chest.

He got out of bed, huffing something under his breath. He didn't bother to put on any clothes. His butt was very cute.

In the meantime, Bella spread the towel over the sheets, hoping it would prevent them from staining.

Edward was soon back, throwing a whole package of condoms on the nightstand. He was stroking his erection with one hand as he stood by the bed in front of her.

He tore one packet with his teeth, and then with one sure movement he donned the condom.

Well, that was fast; she thought when he moved atop of her, settling between her legs.

He spread her legs wider, bending her knees, and placing her feet flat on the mattress. He stroked her a few times, his finger moving gently inside of her.

"Shit, you're so wet already," he grunted, "fucking dripping."

Helping himself with one hand, he began slowly pushing inside of her. She expected pain, but there was none, just some stretching and the nice sensation of friction.

"Fuck, Bella, you feel …" he groaned, his eyes closed, "just perfect."

She watched mesmerized as he strained above her. He looked beautiful.

"Fuck…" he hissed, surging into her again.

What was with the swearing during sex? She had to ask Angela if Ben did the same. Normally, she hated when someone cursed in her presence, but now she didn't mind, on the contrary, it helped to turn her on even more. Was there something wrong with her?

"This first time is going to be quick, ok?" he asked breathlessly.

"Ok," she agreed softly, settling her hands on his nicely muscled arms, wrapping her fingers around his biceps.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, stroking her cheek at the same time pushing harder into her.

She shook her head. "It feels good."

He lowered down on her body, giving her more of his weight than before. He began moving in a steady rhythm, in long deep thrusts. She could feel that he wasn't sparing her anything, and she more than liked it. She especially liked the sensation of tension building gradually in her, intensifying every time he hit the right spot inside of her, making her toes curl.

All too soon, he stiffened all over, groaned, and it was over.

He rolled on his back. "Sorry baby," he breathed, removing the condom. "Give me a minute and I'll make it up to you."

She turned on her side, lying quietly, the tingling between her legs still very much present and unsatisfied.

It had taken a bit more than a minute before he nudged her legs open again.

He touched her tender flesh. "There's very little blood," he told her. "Come," he pulled her off the bed.

"Where are we going?" she asked, stumbling after him.

He grinned. "We need to find a steady, solid piece of furniture."

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Bella woke up to the insistent pressure on her bladder. Edward was cuddled behind her; his arm curled around her waist, his hairy leg tangled between her thighs.

Carefully she crawled out of his embrace, wincing with even the smallest move. She was not in shape for this kind of physical exercise. She hurt all over, her arms, neck, and lower back were sore, the insides of her thighs felt raw, even her knees protested as she walked to the bathroom.

Edward had kept his word, and she had an orgasm, more than one. The first happened while she'd been draped over the back of the sofa in the living area. It was very satisfying but not exactly romantic. She hadn't expected sex to be so … physical and tangible, and so much gymnastics. She'd had this idea planted in her head – candles and soft music played in the background. Of course, it was a far cry from the real world. It was an illusion created in her head through movies and books.

"Ouch," she winced as she used the toilet. Even peeing hurt.

"Bella?" There was a knock on the door. "Are you all right?" Another knock. "Baby, are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she answered back. "I'll be right with you."

She reached for the toilet paper. She needed to take a long bath. As she was about to flush the toilet, something caught her attention. There was no blood, either on the paper or in water. It had to be the shortest period of her life. Unless…

She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. It could be… Not a miscarriage because there would be some cramping. But it could be bleeding that sometimes happened when the fertilized egg implanted itself in the lining of the uterus. God, how could she not think of it earlier? How could she mistake it for a period in the first place? She must have been worried about the situation with her father.

"Bella, Bella, why are you so quiet there?" He was knocking on the door again, more insistently this time. "Baby, open up!"

"I just need a moment to myself, ok? I'll be right out," she managed to say.

She spaced out for a moment, a rather longer moment, sitting on the edge of the bath. As soon as she was back at work on Wednesday she would have a blood test. It would be… how many days since they'd had sex for the first time? Seven… no, eight days… The blood test should detect pregnancy this early.

"Bella, Bella, baby, open up or I'm coming in. Hear me?"

"Just a minute!"

She put on one of the white robes which she found folded neatly next to the bathtub, walked to the door, and opened it.

Instantly, she was enveloped in strong arms. "I've been so worried," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. He cupped her cheek to see her face. "Are you ok?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, just a bit… sore in places I've never been sore before." She smiled. "Even my knees hurt."

He sighed loudly. "I'm sorry, I feel guilty about last night."

"But, I enjoyed myself," she assured. "You didn't?"

He smoothed her hair. "You deserve better. I did what I would have done before I met you. And, I promised myself that it would be different with you."

"Edward… I'm fine," she told him. "It's ok."

"No, it's fucking not ok." His face set in hard lines. "I took you to a hotel and fucked you all night long. You're too good for such treatment."

"You mean that you brought other women here?" she asked, feeling nauseous. "To this very suite?"

He shook his head. "Not here, it's too much trouble - arranging the jet, taking a few days off of work. They weren't worth it."

"Where then?"

He shrugged. "We own hotels in Seattle too."

She moved past him, walking onto the patio. She sat on the lounge chair, staring at the ocean.

He followed her. "Bella?"

She looked up at him. "I don't understand. Why did you decide to pursue me?"

Pulling a chair out for himself, he took a seat in front of her. "When I woke up in the hospital, I felt different, like I didn't have control over everything anymore. In other words, I was scared at the direction my life had taken. I wanted to have something normal, like my father has my mother."

"You took an interest in me because I was normal?"

He nodded. "I knew that you were real and good. Don't get me wrong, I would always find you attractive, but I probably wouldn't have made a move if the circumstances had been different.

"So if there had been no shooting, and you hadn't been close to dying and we'd met somewhere else, you wouldn't have even noticed me?"

"Oh, I would have noticed, but I would find you too challenging, too much trouble. Not someone for me."

She combed a lock of hair away from his forehead. He stopped her hand on his cheek, kissing the inside of her palm. "I felt that you could be my…" he paused, looking for the words, "that you would be good for me."

"Edward, I can't help you change. You must do it yourself."

"But you've already changed me," he spoke with feeling. "I've become more considerate and calm since I met you. Even my mother has noticed your good influence on me."

She stroked his face with the back of her hand. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Be patient with me," he pleaded.

She looked down. "I cannot promise anything."

_Thank you for reading!_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for her work on this chapter!**

"What do you want to do today?" Edward asked as they were having breakfast on the patio of their suite.

It was the third day of their stay and tomorrow; they were returning to the real world. Bella had to admit she had rested exceptionally well during these past few days. There were so many attractions available for tourists such as golf, tennis, spa, windsurfing, horse riding, biking and cooking lessons with hotel's chef. But all she had done was sleep, swim, walk on the beach, and lounge by the pool.

"Are there any shops close by?" she asked. "I'd like to buy something for my mum, Riley and Angela." Her mum would love it here. Renee had never been to California. Bella wondered how much it cost to stay here. They could come here together one winter weekend to catch some sun when it was cold and rainy in Washington.

"Downtown San Luis Obispo is a few miles from here. You should find everything you need there. I believe my mother shops there every time she's here. I never had any reason to stop by, but I have driven through that area a few times and I noticed many pleasant little shops."

"Can we go now?"

"Sure." He gave her an indulgent smile. "I have to make a few phone calls in the afternoon, so it works well for me."

An hour later they were in front of the hotel, waiting for the car to be delivered for them. In many ways, Edward's life seemed so easy, one word or a phone call, and he got everything he wanted. Does he even realize that it's not like that for most people?

Edward had his arms around her, nuzzling the sensitive skin behind her ear. Very unsuccessfully, she tried to restrain his attentions, whispering to him amidst giggles that they were in public view.

"Cullen!" A male voice got their attention. "What a surprise to see you here!"

Edward's gaze snapped up to a dark haired man in his late thirties or early forties, getting out of the car that had just pulled up, and he was walking towards them.

His arms around her tightened, and his body visibly stiffened.

"Montiglio," Edward murmured in a low voice, acknowledging the man.

"I didn't expect you here," the man said, extending his hand to Edward. "I thought that you had passed on this deal."

"Nothing has changed," Edward responded in an alien, unfamiliar voice, shaking the stranger's hand. "My stay here is entirely personal and we'll be leaving tomorrow morning."

The man looked from Edward to Bella, his expression neutral. "I see." He stared down at her, making her uncomfortable.

"Come Bella." Edward pulled at her hand. "Our car is here."

They walked briskly to a black convertible sports car with the top down waiting for them.

"Who was that?" Bella asked as she was seated inside the car as Edward started the engine. "He's still looking at us," she observed, glancing back.

"No one you should know." Edward looked straight ahead. "You don't want to know him, trust me on that" he murmured under his breath.

"What deal was he talking about?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Something we've just managed to get out of." He sounded relieved. "There's very little probability that we'll ever start with it again."

"With what?"

He didn't answer, going mute.

"You won't tell me more?" she guessed.

"For your own good it's better if you don't know more." His tone suggested that the discussion was closed.

She turned her head, staring at the ocean. She hated when he went tight-lipped like that. She could never ask him about his work, well she could, but he rarely answered. It was such an important aspect of his life, and they never talked about it. It was as if she didn't know him, and he was only showing her a small part of himself.

Her mood improved when they reached their destination. The long street shadowed by tall trees housed many small shops, restaurants and cafés. They leisurely strolled, holding hands, Bella stopping at every other window shop.

"Anything you like?" Edward asked when she stayed for a longer time in front of one of the boutiques.

"Yes, they have lovely things," she said, staring at a flowered scarf in the front window. She knew that it would suit her mother's taste perfectly.

"Do you want to check this shop?" Edward gestured towards the glass front door.

Bella shook her head, hesitating. "It looks expensive."

"Oh, come on," Edward pulled at her hand, visibly exasperated. As they entered a middle age, smartly dressed lady, approached them.

"Can I help you with anything?" she asked, her gaze stopping shortly at Bella before moving to Edward. She looked him up and down from the top of his head to the tips of his suede loafers.

"Yes, my girlfriend would like to find something for her mother and best friend. She admired the scarves displayed in the front window."

"Excellent choice," the lady praised. "We've recently received a large selection of beautiful scarves from our other shop in LA," she boasted.

A moment later about ten different scarves were placed on the glass counter in front of Bella. "I would suggest this one or that one for your mother." The lady picked two scarves; one was identical to the one Bella had admired earlier. "As for your friend, I would suggest something more youthful, like this one." She pointed to the blue- purple animal print material.

"Lovely," Bella agreed, touching the animal print scarf, taking it in her hand. "How much are they?"

"The flowered scarf is one hundred dollars each and the animal print one is two hundred. It is more expensive because it is from our special limited collection, and only a handful was made."

Bella cleared her throat. "Oh, I see," she managed to say. She was about to thank the sales lady and leave the shop with as much dignity as possible, when Edward handed the woman his black credit card.

"We'll take these two," he said, pointing to the flowered scarf and then to the animal print one. "Can you pack them separately as gifts?"

Bella watched as the sales lady charged the card, and packed the shawls into elegant boxes with the boutique logo as acute embarrassment colored her cheeks. She would have a talk with Edward once they were outside. It was humiliating that he was spending so much money on her.

As soon as they left the shop, stepping onto the sun filled street, Bella opened her mouth to say what she was thinking about Edward's behavior in the shop. He was faster than she and must have been aware of her intentions because he put a finger on her lips before she managed to utter one sound. "Just don't, ok. I know what you are going to say, I have heard it too many times to count." He removed his finger, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Edward, you must understand how uncomfortable it makes me when you do things like that. I have no means to repay you for these." She lifted the bag with the scarves. "I can't afford to buy you a silk tie in return."

He looked as if he didn't understand her point. "Christ, for once could you accept something from me without bitching about it?"

She looked down at her feet, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm sure that you would have no trouble finding someone more appreciative of your generosity."

The next moment she was pulled into his arms. "I'm sorry, baby." He kissed the top of her head. "I shouldn't have spoken like that to you."

She looked up at him. "I felt so humiliated in front of that saleslady."

"Why?"

"She must have thought that I had no job, and you were supporting me, or worse."

"Why do you care what she thought? As if you had gold-digger written all over your forehead?"

Perhaps he was right? Why should she care? If she had more money, she would want to buy presents for her family and loved ones.

"It is hard to get used to spending so much money."

"Your birthday is coming," he reminded her. "I have every intention to shower you with many gifts, so you had better get used to it fast."

"You don't have to give me anything; this trip is the best birthday present you could come up with."

He leaned down to kiss her. "I'm not listening to you," he murmured against her lips. "You can't forbid me from celebrating your birthday."

"No, I can't," she agreed grudgingly.

"Now, I thought you wanted to find something for your brother." He took her hand in his and began walking. "What would he like?"

An hour later, she had a cool t-shirt and hat for her brother and a new hardcover copy of Anna Karenina for herself. She had lost her old, beaten down paperback during the last move, and was happy that she had found such a nice replacement.

As they left the bookshop, Edward glanced at his watch with a frown. "Sorry, baby, but we won't manage to have lunch here. I have to return to the hotel for a conference call."

"Sure, I understand."

"I'll make it up to you; we'll have dinner together."

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself, I have my book," she assured him with a bright smile. She didn't want him to worry about her, feeling guilty for leaving her on her own. She looked forward to spending the afternoon rereading one of her favorite novels.

After she had eaten a delicious lunch in the hotel restaurant, she found a lounge chair next to the pool under a palm tree. The spot was perfect because she could see the ocean as well as the nearby hills.

Edward was sweet, sending cold drinks and an exotic fruit plate to her chair.

Settled comfortably, she began to read. She was at the scene where Kitty was rejecting Levin's proposal of marriage when a dark shadow blocked the sun from the page of her book.

"Hello."

She looked up. It was the same man who had greeted Edward in the morning. What was his name? Italian sounding… Monti… something.

"Hi," she responded in a small voice.

"May I?" he asked in a friendly voice, pointing to a chair next to her. She looked around seeing that most of the chairs were taken.

"Sure," she replied.

She heard him sitting and shifting beside her, but she concentrated on her book. It wasn't long before he spoke again.

"Sorry for interrupting your reading, but your name is Bella, right?"

She closed the book and removed her sunglasses, giving him her full attention. "Yes, I'm Bella."

He extended his hand. "Robert Montiglio."

She accepted his handshake. "Bella Swan."

He was staring at her with open curiosity. "You're here with Edward Cullen."

"I think that's obvious," she answered coolly. "You saw us together earlier today."

"You seem different than his usual type."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what's his usual type?"

"Not someone who reads Tolstoy."

She gave him a noncommittal smile, opening her book again, hoping that he would understand that she wanted to end the conversation.

He was persistent though. "Listen," he said, "when you and Edward separate, give me a call. I'll be interested in your company," he said in a low voice, slipping a white card between the pages of her book. "This is my private number. I'm from New York, but I visit the West Coast a few times a month."

She glanced up into his dark eyes - he was staring intensely into her face. "Who do you think I am?" she asked.

"Easy, don't get offended," he almost cooed. "There's no reason to pretend. I imagine you're a literature student who wants to go through college without debt at the same time enjoying nice things in life like this hotel, for example. There's nothing wrong in that."

She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. "You think that I'm a discreet call girl, don't you?" She said in a half amused, half nervous chuckle. "I don't know whether to be offended or flattered." She reached for her large hobo bag, rummaging through it. "It should be somewhere here," she murmured more to herself than to him. "Here it is!" She showed him her hospital id card.

He took the piece of plastic between his fingers and scanned it with narrowed eyes. "You're a nurse!" he said unbelievably, "At Harborview?"

"Yes, I am, but you must think that I forged it," she said, taking her card from him, hiding it safely at the bottom of her bag.

"I owe you an apology," he said after a moment. "I had no idea that Cullen had settled down. When's the wedding?"

"Oh, we're not engaged," she clarified.

"You met his family?"

She nodded.

"Then trust me, he'll propose soon, he's just waiting for the right moment." He stood up. "He wouldn't bother with someone like you if he didn't want to start a family."

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah, you know the real deal, the girl next door. I do understand him, my wife worked as a teacher when she was first introduced to me." He stood up. "It's been nice talking to you, Bella. Again, if you'd like to have some fun, give me a call." He winked at her, put his sunglasses on and walked back to the hotel.

Bella stared after him for the longest moment; her book forgotten. Who was this man? Should she tell Edward about this encounter?

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When Bella entered their suite, Edward was sitting on the sofa, laptop on his thighs, and he was speaking quietly through his cell.

"Yes, like I said, no compromising." He glanced up at her, his expression was unreadable. "I'm back tomorrow but I'll be at the club not earlier than Thursday." He ended the call - no thank you or goodbye to the person on the other side.

"Have you finished?" she asked. "I'll go to the bedroom if you need some more time. I don't want to interrupt your work."

"I'm done for today." He closed the laptop and put it away on the coffee table. "Come here." He extended his hand to her.

Bella dropped on the couch beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I said come here," he scolded, helping her to sit astride his lap, facing him.

"I'm sorry for this afternoon," he said reaching for the hair clip at the back of her head to release her hair.

"That's ok."

"We came here to spend time together," he reminded. "But a few things couldn't wait any longer." He cupped her face between his hands, kissing her lips.

She returned the kiss, but her thoughts wandered to Roberto Montiglio and his proposition. She couldn't stop thinking about it. Did she really look like a hooker?

"Hey, what's the matter?" He broke the kiss, pulling back to look into her face. "You're distracted. Your body is here, but your mind is somewhere else."

"I had a strange conversation by the pool," she said carefully. "I can't forget about it. I don't know what to make of it."

A frown appeared between his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Who did you talk to?"

She viewed herself in his concerned, green eyes. Should she tell him? That Montiglio guy was creepy. He hadn't scared her exactly, but he had made her very uneasy.

"Do I look like a call girl?"

He laughed. "What?"

"Answer me," she insisted. "You have obviously met one of those."

"Why are you asking me this all of sudden?" his tone was openly suspicious.

"Please, I want to know," she pressed. "And it's not about you, but about me. If you had met me in other circumstances, I don't know, a club, or a coffee house, would you have thought that I might be a call girl?

For a minute, he searched her face. "Well, you may be surprised but most call girls don't look much different than average women. They are attractive, but there isn't one type, and if you're thinking Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman as your main point of reference, it's very misleading and not true. But answering your strange question, no, I wouldn't ever think you to be a call girl, you're attractive and very pretty, but no, you don't look like one."

She looked down. "I don't understand," she whispered more to himself than to him.

He tilted her chin up to make her look at him. "Bella, what brought this on?"

She shot him an uncertain look. She had a very good suspicion that he would go mad at hearing what had happened this morning. Gathering her courage, she started speaking. "The man who you talked to when we were waiting for the car this morning… he came up to me when I was sitting by the pool, reading my book."

As she expected, his expression hardened, his hands tightening on one of her sides. "And? You talked to him?"

"Not at first. I mean he asked politely if he could take a chair next to me, I said yes as most of the chairs were occupied, so I didn't think it strange."

His eyes were imploring her to continue.

"I was reading and didn't even look at him once when he slipped a card between the pages of my book with his name and phone number." She reached for her bag, taking out the hard copy of Anna Karenina. She leafed through the pages until she found a small white card. "Here, look."

Edward took the card between his fingers, before crumbling it between his fingers. "What did he say to you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "That I should give him a call when we are finished, you and me. He said that he would be interested in my company. I could understand it in only one way."

"Did he touch you?" Edward growled.

"No, nothing like that," she assured quickly. "He didn't believe me that I wasn't a hooker until I showed him my id card from work. Then he apologized to me. But now I think that I shouldn't have told him my name and where I worked. Let him think I'm a hooker. Why should it bother me? I don't know him."

Without a word of warning, Edward pushed her off him, standing abruptly from the couch. "Where are you going?" she exclaimed, scrambling from the sofa to her feet. "Edward!" she cried but he was already by the door.

"Stay here," he only said before leaving the room, the door slamming after him.

She ran after him, opening the door. He was standing in the corridor, talking with one of his bodyguards. He was the same one who had brought her shoes to her on their first date. She saw him often enough but didn't even know his name. In her impression, he was a chief bodyguard or something of like that.

"Edward! "she cried, but it was as if he didn't hear her. He walked down the corridor without a second glance back at her.

A tower of a man was in front of her, blocking her way. "Miss Swan, the boss wants you to stay in the suite," he said.

"Where has he gone?" she wanted to know.

In response, he gestured in the direction of the open door. "You have to stay inside, Miss Swan," he repeated respectfully.

"Make sure that he is all right," she pleaded. No reaction. He could at least nod his head.

Slowly, she turned on her heels and stepped back into the suite.

She walked out onto the patio thinking that perhaps she could catch a glimpse of Edward outside of the hotel, but no such luck. She returned to the sofa, but after twenty minutes of staring at the ceiling, she decided that she needed to find herself an occupation other than thinking obsessively about everything that had happened today.

They were leaving early tomorrow morning so they could reach Seattle in time for her to start her afternoon shift. She should probably pack the both of them so they could sleep longer tomorrow morning.

Two hours later it was getting dark; their suitcases were packed except for their toothbrushes and clothes for next day. Bella had showered and was sitting on the patio, drying her hair with a towel.

She thought she heard a noise in the living area. "Edward?" she called.

"I'm here," his calm voice responded.

She flew to him, holding desperately to his arm. "Where were you? What happened?" she questioned as he calmly poured himself a drink from the mini - bar. Her breathing stopped as she noticed that his knuckles were bruised, and there was a light spattering of blood on his white t-shirt.

"Are you hurt?" she asked frantically, examining his face for any sign of bruising or blood, running her shaking hands down his arms and torso.

"I'm fine." He shook his head, gulping half of the glass of alcohol in one take, before putting the glass on the side cabinet.

"What happened?" she insisted.

He looked at her, right into her eyes. "Bella, you must remember this, next time someone from the mafia wants to talk to you just walk away, understand."

She nodded. "I'm sorry; he took me by surprise. I didn't know," she stuttered.

"I know, baby, I know." He pulled her to him, entrapping her in his embrace. "I don't blame you. But you will have to be more careful in the future."

"I will, I'll try," she assured him, her words muffled against his chest. He smelled of sweat, as if he had had a workout.

"Good," he said, some of the tension leaving his body.

She pulled him onto the couch. "You must tell me what happened. Did you hit that Montiglio guy?"

"No, that I couldn't do," he sounded regretful. "His position is equal to mine and my father's. But I talked to him, and he won't bother you anymore."

"Did I get you in trouble with him?"

"No. He was regretful, actually. I think that he came up to you partially to try his luck with you. I met his wife once, and she looks a bit like you, but there's no doubt that he was hoping to sniff some information as well."

She thought for a moment. "You mean the same as the FBI agents?"

He nodded. "You can say so."

"What about your hands?" She touched gently to the top of his palms. "How did you get these bruises?"

"Oh, that's nothing. I needed to relieve my anger somewhere."

Her eyes widened. "You hit someone else?"

"The imbecile who was supposed to have an eye on you."

"Who?"

"Your bodyguard," he clarified. "He was busy talking with some waitress instead of looking after you. Montiglio shouldn't have had a chance to come near you if that cretin had been doing his job properly."

"Are you saying that I have a bodyguard?"

He feigned innocence. "You haven't noticed?"

"No, I haven't." She jumped to her feet. "You have me followed?!"

"It's not like that." He tried to take a hold of her hand and pull her back to him.

"I don't like it."

"It's for your safety."

"What about my privacy? Someone's following me everywhere?"

"Not everywhere, not when you're with me, or when you're at work."

"But when I go somewhere with Angela or Rosalie some man is behind me?"

"Rosalie has her own."

He managed to tuck her back to his side. "You said yourself that you haven't noticed. Why should it bother you? Your security is not intrusive."

"It doesn't feel right that someone is following me," she insisted.

"It's just to keep you safe. People may want to hurt you by trying to get to me through you, like that lowlife today and the FBI agents before."

She sat silently in the circle of his arms, allowing gentle kisses on her temple. She had a bodyguard, someone who followed her when she went to work, to buy groceries, to meet her friends.

Slowly she stood up, freeing herself from his embrace. "I'll bring some ice to reduce the bruising on your hands," she said. "Take off your shirt; I'll try to remove these bloody spots."

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Bella left the hospital, strong wind hitting her with a vengeance, blowing her gipsy skirt and thin linen jacket. She wasn't in California anymore, no doubt about it. Heavy, grey clouds covered the sky; cold, steady drizzle wet her face and hair. At the beginning of September, the weather in Seattle was, usually, much sunnier and warmer. She buttoned her jacket and secured a thin scarf around her neck, hoping to protect herself if only a little. Not for the first time, she didn't have her umbrella when she needed it.

Bracing herself against hostile weather conditions, she began walking quickly, energized by the visualization of herself enjoying a hot bath once she got home.

"Miss Swan, Miss Swan, wait!" she heard behind her. Glancing back, she saw a man running towards her.

Bella stopped, turning to greet the man who was her bodyguard, a new one apparently. The previous one whom she had never even met, had been fired. Edward thought that it would be good to introduce to her the man who was following her every day, so she was able to at least recognize him. His name was Cesare - she wasn't sure whether it was his first or second name or just a nickname.

"Miss Swan, the car is waiting." He opened a large, black umbrella above her. "You don't have to walk, not in this weather."

She didn't answer immediately, hesitating.

"Miss Swan, please, boss will be mad at me when he learns that I let you walk two blocks in the cold and rain."

"Ok, thank you," she said, allowing him to lead her to the black car. The last thing she wanted was to get another bodyguard in trouble.

Safely settled in the backseat, she stared out of the windows as they drove the familiar route to her apartment building. Judging by the fat raindrops on the windows, it was raining more heavily every minute. She would have been completely drenched had she walked all the way to her apartment.

"Have you worked very long for the Cullens?" she asked Cesare. She doubted that she would learn a lot from him, but it was always good to try.

"More than ten years," he answered his eyes on the road.

"Did you protect Edward?"

"Mainly Mrs. Cullen."

That was interesting. She had been given Esme's bodyguard. Was it because of the situation with Montiglio? Did Edward think that she could get herself into even more trouble?

"We are here, Miss Swan," Cesare said and indeed they already were in front of her building. He got out of the car and opened the door for her, offering her the umbrella again.

"Thank you so much for the ride and for being so thoughtful to offer it," she said.

Cesare nodded in acknowledgement but said nothing. Talkative, he was not. He followed her to the front entrance, making sure that she made it safely inside.

She watched him return to the car, and drive away.

She had a bodyguard. Never in her life had she envisioned that she would need one. Her life had changed in so many aspects since she had met Edward. In a way, it felt as if more had happened in these past short months than in her previous twenty-five years. However, these last weeks had been especially draining. Edward had changed her quiet life to a degree that she could hardly recognize.

When she was with Edward, she was able to forget about all her worries, fears and concerns, but when she was alone with her thoughts like now, she felt doomed, sometimes almost terrified. The money Edward was spending on her, his lavish lifestyle, the creepy guys she had encountered the bodyguards, the secrets and understatements, overwhelmed her, intimidated her and above all was difficult to deal with.

How she wished that they could leave all that behind, get settled in some small town. She would work at a local hospital, and Edward could have a normal job. He was intelligent; surely he would find something to do.

She'd had the blood tests completed. She didn't have the results yet, but she knew there was a fair chance that she was pregnant. She wanted children but at the same time for the lack of a better word, she felt trapped. Everything had happened so fast. Edward and she knew so little about the other.

She suspected that he would be happy to hear the news of her pregnancy. Having his child meant that she would never be able to remove herself from his life. Until now, she'd felt that she still had a chance to walk away. There was no chance that Edward would allow her to leave with his son or daughter. Naturally, she wanted her baby to know its father, but the same as Rosalie, she feared for the future. If she had a boy, would her son have a choice to find his way in life?

She didn't want her baby to grow up in a mafia family. It was her fault though that such a possibility had occurred. She should have thought about it months ago when she had allowed herself to fall under Edward's charm, especially the night when they had had unprotected sex.

Another matter that depressed her was the reaction of her family and the fact that she was separated from them. Edward thought that they would come around, but she seriously doubted that. She had tried to call her father and mother numerous times, but they ignored her calls. It hurt especially her mum's silence. Her mother had irritated her countless times in the past but now she could see that she had taken Renee for granted. She wanted to pick up her cell and talk with her mum. And, Riley. He was like her baby; she loved him so much. She could not imagine not being able to see her little brother, or talk to him. It was breaking her heart.

As soon as she entered her apartment, her phone began ringing. The number was unfamiliar.

Sitting on her couch, she answered. "Yes?"

"Hello Bella, its Esme Cullen."

"Hello Mrs. Cullen."

"You promised to call me by my first name," Edward's mother scolded gently.

"Very well Esme. What can I do for you?"

"I hope that you don't mind me calling you. I got your number from Edward. He said that you should be home around this hour."

"Yes, I just got back from the hospital."

"Oh dear, then you must be dead tired. Should I call later?"

"No, Esme, I'm fine. We had a pretty calm night. Has something happened?"

"Oh, no, everything is wonderful, simply wonderful. Imagine that Emmett and Rosalie invited themselves this Saturday to our house for a family dinner. I have a good feeling that they want to announce something very important."

Bella could hear giddiness in Esme's voice. The woman had to be over the moon. "You expect engagement news," she guessed.

"Naturally," Esme cried. "And it's high time. They've been dating for years. I had almost lost all hope in those two."

Bella smiled. Edward's mother would be delighted to hear that not only would she have her younger son married, but that she would also become a grandmother in a few months. Suddenly, it struck her that it was possible that there could be two grandchildren for Esme, fathered by both of her sons.

"Bella, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. My thoughts wandered for a moment."

"Oh, really? Perhaps you too have some good news for me?" Esme cheered.

"No, no… of course not," Bella stammered. She was such a bad liar; she hoped that Esme would not detect the falsity in her tone.

"I wanted to invite you and Edward to come."

"Thank you for the invitation but," she paused. "Are you sure that I should be there?" she asked tentatively.

"Naturally you should be. You're a part of the family now."

"I'll be there," Bella said quietly.

"Wonderful, dear. Six o'clock sharp."

"Should I bring anything?"

"Just you," Esme answered. "Now, I'm not bothering you anymore, I'm sure you want to some peace and quiet after your shift."

"Thank you again for the invitation."

"Goodbye dear. Have some rest," Esme disconnected.

Bella saved the number. She genuinely liked Edward's mother. It was impossible not to like her. She wished she could talk to Esme for a longer time on the condition that they would be alone. She hoped it could help her to see everything in a different light.

Perhaps Esme would accept an invitation for coffee from her?

Her telephone began ringing again. This time it was Edward. She decided not to pick up. She needed some time to herself. Frankly, she didn't want to talk to him at the moment.

He would not be worried. He had surely heard from Cesare that she was safely back at home. Most likely, he would think that she was sleeping after work, and that was the reason she wasn't answering.

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She woke to the persistent sound of the doorbell. It was dark, and she was curled on the couch in her bathing robe. Rubbing her eyes, she realized that she must have fallen asleep right after her bath, and had slept until the evening.

Tightening the belt of her robe, she went to the front door. She had a good idea who it was.

She smiled on opening the door. "Hi."

Edward was leaning against the doorframe; his eyes focused entirely on her. "You weren't answering your phone."

She nodded, yawning against the sleeve of her robe. "I was sleeping."

He eyed her warily, his eyes narrowed, before stepping inside, enveloping her in his arms. "I was worried," he murmured, sweetly kissing her neck. "I couldn't come earlier; I had to finish some business."

"I'm sorry; I was tired." Now she felt guilty for ignoring him.

He seemed to believe her explanation; his features relaxing. "I thought so. Cesare told me that you got safely home."

"Yes, and he was so very thoughtful today, offering me a ride when it started to rain after I left the hospital. I would have been drenched by the time I had reached home if not him."

"That's his job," Edward answered coolly but looked pleased.

They went to the living room, sitting together on the couch. "How was your day? she asked casually, snuggling into his side.

"Rather busy, I had a few meetings," he said, and she didn't expect him to elaborate. He rarely said more about his work than a few words.

"My mum called you," he stated rather than asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, about Saturday dinner."

"She thinks that Rosalie and Emmett will announce their engagement. She is over the moon."

"Oh, I think that they have much more to announce," she said without thinking. Her eyes widened as she fully comprehended what she'd just said. "Crap. Forget what I said."

A slow grin stretched his handsome face. "Am I going to become an uncle?"

"Just please, forget what I said. I don't want to break Rosalie's trust. Me and my big mouth, I should shut up sometimes. Please don't mention anything to your mother, father or Emmett."

"I won't, I won't, calm down." He covered her hand with his, squeezing to reassure her. "Besides, we'll all hear the good news on Saturday evening, right?"

"Yes, we will," Belle nodded relieved. "I know that Rosalie wanted to wait some time before making any announcements but it seems that your brother convinced her otherwise."

"I must congratulate Emmett, at last he managed to knock her up after so many years."

Instantly she freed her hand from his hold. "Why are you saying that? That's such an insensitive thing to say. Is it some kind of game or competition to get a girl pregnant between you and your brother?"

"Sorry, baby." He tried to take her hand back, but she resisted. "I worded it poorly. I only meant that she kept him at distance for a long time."

"You can't know that," she argued sharply. "It's between your brother and Rosalie. You can't know what their relationship is like."

He stared at her for a moment longer, before touching her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You seem a bit off today. Is everything all right?"

She stilled under his touch. Should she tell him that there was a chance that she was pregnant herself? Would he cheer too that he'd knocked her up? A part of her wanted to open up to him completely about it, but something deep inside was stopping her.

"It's about my parents," she said eventually, deciding that it wasn't time for baby news, not yet at least. "They aren't answering my phone calls." She let out a trembling sigh. "It's just hard."

"Come here," he said, pulling her on his lap. "I love you, baby," he whispered, kissing her hair, his arms wrapped tightly around her. "I wish that I could help you with this. I know that you don't believe it now but in time they will come around."

"I don't worry so much about it when you're with me," she acknowledged, her eyes closed, putting her head on his shoulder. "It's just when I'm alone; I start thinking and worrying."

"Then we should spend more time together."

"We do spend a lot of time together," she reminded him. "But I think that you should have spare keys to my apartment. You'll be able to enter whenever you want and won't have to wait for me to wake up or return home from work. I have a spare set somewhere."

She tried to lift from his lap to look for the keys, but he kept her to him, his expression serious.

"I have a much better idea," he told her, locking his gaze with hers. "I think that we should live together."

She blinked, surprised. She didn't see that coming. "Is that not too soon?"

He shrugged. "We spend evenings and nights together. You said that yourself. We're basically living together already."

"I can't argue with that." He was right; she had to admit that. "Do you want to move in here?"

"I think that your apartment is too small for two people," he said diplomatically.

"It's not that small," she defended.

"It's only one bedroom. I need a separate place to put my computer, not to mention that my clothes won't fit in that tiny closet of yours."

"Well, your apartment is not that great either," she informed him, slightly offended on behalf of her home. "I'm sure it's great for the purpose of a fancy interior design magazine photo shoot, but I wouldn't like to live there. It looks like an empty warehouse."

"We could find something different," he suggested.

"You mean rent another apartment?"

He nodded. "Rather buy it. Something homely and close to the hospital but bigger than this."

"Edward, I can't. You know that I've got a mortgage for this one, I don't want to lose it, I..."

"Just listen to me," he interrupted, putting a finger on her lips. "I mentioned to you that we own a real estate company. Next week, I will arrange an appointment with one of the agents and you'll pick something you like. I'll deal with the rest."

"I'm not sure. I'd prefer to participate financially to some degree at least."

"You said yourself that you can't afford it without getting rid of this place, something you don't want to happen," he reminded her quickly. "Baby, let me buy an apartment for us. Money is not an issue. It makes me so happy when I can take care of you."

She thought for a long moment. His proposition sounded reasonable, especially the part with keeping her apartment. If things didn't work out between them, she would have a place to return to.

"On one condition though," she told him.

"Anything," he breathed, his face beaming with joy.

"I'll buy groceries, and pay for half the bills like electricity and water, and general upkeep."

His expression was unreadable for a moment, but he quickly nodded. "Thank you, love," he murmured, pushing her on her back, and moving on top of her.

Edward kissed the path from her temple to her neck, and shoulder, his day old stubble tickling her skin.

His hand moved to the belt of her robe, loosening, and opening it. "Naughty girl," he whispered, running his hand over her waist to her hip. "You've got nothing on underneath."

"I fell asleep here after my bath, and I didn't manage to put anything on," she explained. "I wasn't trying to be naughty."

His hand stroked her body leisurely, stopping on her lower tummy, and breasts, making her shiver.

"You can't imagine how happy you've just made me," he whispered, looking deep into her eyes.

She combed a stray lock from his forehead, smiling. "I don't know how I come from giving you the keys to my apartment to moving in together," she teased.

"I have great negotiating skills."

She cupped his cheek. "I can't argue with that."

He kissed her deeply, his hands touching her body, caressing her devotedly and opening her to him.

When he moved inside of her a few minutes later, she briefly wondered why it felt as if she was losing control over her life.

_Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**EdwardsFirstKiss was beta for this chapter. Great thanks to her for all the hard work which she has done!**

Standing in front of the floor mirror in her bedroom, clad only in her underwear and sheer nude tights Bella took a navy blue, lacy dress off the hanger, carefully putting it on. It was body- hugging, knee length piece with a long shiny golden zipper on the back as its only embellishment. She'd bought it today; it was on sale but still cost more than she'd initially intended to spend. It was so lovely though that she'd fallen in love with it at first sight, and once she'd tried it, she knew that it was a win.

As she was trying to zip it up, she heard the front door opening. Despite his complaints that her apartment was too small for two people, Edward had snatched the spare keys, and together with an overnight bag and three suits he'd moved in the following day. They were to meet with a real estate agent on Monday to see a few apartments but until they found something, they both agreed they would live at her place.

A part of her wanted just to go with the flow, but everything was happening very fast, making her both nervous and apprehensive. She had to admit that she was excited to apartment hunt with Edward even though she loved her place.

His steps were behind her, and soon she felt his hands on her waist.

"I was getting worried," she said, turning to him.

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, before touching her lips briefly with his. "Nice dress," he complimented. "New?" He removed his jacket, loosened his tie and with a tired sigh dropped his long body on the armchair in the corner.

"I bought it today."

"Sexy," he murmured, extending his hand to her, gesturing her to come to him.

As she approached him, he pulled her into his lap. Without much preamble, his big hands cupped underneath her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples.

She shivered under his touch. "Edward?" she questioned weakly.

"I need you, baby," he kissed her ear, tugging the dress down her arms.

"We'll be late for your parents," she reminded gently.

"Please, I need this," he groaned, kissing the newly exposed skin of her back. "I had one hell of a day."

"Something happened today?"

"Later," he murmured, helping her to stand and pushed the dress further down, so it pooled at her feet on the carpet. He pressed into her aggressively, moving them towards the bed.

"Wait." She placed her hands flat on his chest. "My dress. It'll get crumpled." Bending down, she picked up the dress and put it back on the hanger. When she looked back at him, he was already unzipping his pants, and removing them. Subtle, he was not.

Perched on the bed beside him, she slowly removed her sheer tights, careful not to accidently rip them.

He pulled her to and under him in no time. It was fast and hard, but at least he went down on her first.

"What happened?" she asked afterwards, curled against him, her head on his shoulder. "You were so tense." She stroked his hairy chest, her hand wandering to his flat stomach.

"We are having trouble with one of the clubs," he explained quietly. "I gave the management to our cousin because I had to; we owed a favor to his father, and that idiot has made one huge mess. I have to straighten everything up now."

"Is it that serious?" she asked, searching his face.

"Yeah, pretty much. He hired underage girls as dancers even though he was told that everything needs to be legal, but no, he wanted to make a personal brothel out of it. We don't need police on our backs again, and this time they would have a legitimate reason to get to us. Fucking idiot."

Bella sat up, clenching the sheet to her front. Edward didn't mind parading naked in front of her, but she felt self-conscious. "What are you going to do now?"

Edward stared straight at the ceiling. "I can't just fire him, at least not until I find something different for him, and that might take time."

She looked at his tired face, the tension emanating from him again, building in his features. "You could send him away somewhere on business under some trivial reason, for a few weeks, perhaps even a month or two. At least, he won't be in your way when you put everything back in order."

His eyes focused on her. "That's a brilliant idea."

She smiled. "It is?"

He tackled her back to his side. "Yes, it is. Thank you, love. I wouldn't have thought about that."

"Of course you would."

His arms tightened around her. "I don't feel like going anywhere tonight." He looked into her eyes. "I want to stay here with you, have an early night, watch a movie, make love some more."

"I would love to but I promised your mum that we would come. And I don't want to ruin Rosalie's night. If we don't leave soon, we'll be late."

"Ok, let's just get it over with," he said, sounding resigned to his fate, but hardly enthusiastic.

"We should wash up," she remarked. "We must smell like sex."

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Twenty minutes later Edward was adjusting his tie in front of a mirror in the bedroom while she was putting makeup on in the bathroom.

"I've got something for you." She heard behind her. "I think that it should go well with this dress." He secured a gold pendant with a yellowish pear shaped stone around her neck.

"How beautiful," she gasped, taking the stone between her fingers, looking down at it. "Is it amber? My mum has an amber necklace, but this one looks different, it's more sparkly and lighter in color."

"No, it's a yellow diamond."

"Really?" she marveled, stroking the glittering stone. "I've never heard about anything like that."

"Do you like it?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, it's beautiful, but you didn't have to."

"Early birthday present," he whispered sweetly.

"Thank you." She wrapped her hands around his neck, kissing his cheek. "I'll treasure it."

"I want you to wear it."

She nodded. "I will. Every day."

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Bella glanced at her watch nervously as they drove through the tall gates into the Cullen property. "It's nearly twenty past six," she fretted. "We're so late."

Edward was calm. "Don't worry. It's my fault that we're late, and they won't blame you."

"But I promised your mother that we would be on time," she argued. "She said six o'clock sharp."

"Don't you see that you can't do anything wrong in my mother's eyes? Of course, unless you want to leave me."

She sent him a sharp look, but his expression was blank. "That's not the point," she argued. "It's simply rude to be so late without a good reason."

"There was a very good reason," he stressed. "You helped me to relieve some of the tension after a long day."

The long driveway ended at last; Edward parked next to the other vehicles. Bella was out of the car and rushed to the front entrance not looking back at him.

The door had opened before she touched the doorbell, Esme standing in front of them. "I was about to call you. I was beginning to worry."

"We're so sorry, Esme. I should have watched the time," Bella tried to excuse them, feeling Edward's presence close behind her, his hand on the small of her back.

"I know my son, dear," Esme said, kissing her cheek. "Punctuality is not something he can pride himself with."

"Mum." Edward leaned down, kissing her cheek and hugging her. "I apologize for being late."

Esme smoothed his hair and stroked his cheek affectionately. "You look good darling," she said, before looking over at Bella, smiling at her.

They were ushered inside, right into the living room. Mr. Cullen was busy with opening a bottle of champagne, and pouring the gold, sparkling liquid into tall glasses.

Emmett and Rosalie stood close together, his huge, bulky arm wrapped possessively around her.

Alice was helping her father distribute the champagne to everyone.

"Now that we are all here," Esme said, her entire face beaming. "Can we hear the news?"

Emmett straightened proudly. "We're getting married."

"I knew it!" Alice exclaimed, and everyone laughed.

Rosalie cleared her throat, looking up at her fiancé. "I'm ten weeks pregnant."

A wave of enthusiasm spread over the room – Esme, Bella and Alice were endlessly embracing and kissing Rosalie while Edward and Mr. Cullen congratulated Emmett in more restrained manner, patting his back and exchanging short, manly hugs.

Bella stepped back slightly, allowing Esme and Alice to bother Rosalie with countless questions about how she felt and what kind of wedding she wanted.

"Well, I think that I played the part of the surprised future uncle pretty well," Edward commented from behind her.

She smiled, leaning against him, her back to his front. "You did well," she agreed.

His arm wrapped around her waist, and he murmured against her ear. "You don't like the champagne? Your glass is full."

"I had a small sip," she lied. She knew that small amounts of alcohol should probably be harmless, but she didn't want to take any risks, and she wanted to have a clear head tonight. "But you're right champagne is not something I enjoy very much."

"Do you want something else?" he asked attentively. "Father has an excellent wine cellar. I'll ask him to bring something for you."

Bella shook her head. "No, thank you. I don't have a taste for any alcohol tonight."

He raised an eyebrow. "You won't drink to Rosalie's happiness?"

"Oh, I think that Rosalie knows very well that I wish her all the best," she answered, looking over at Rose, now speaking with Esme.

Alice was by her side, pulling at her hand. "Bella, come with us! We're discussing the wedding! You and I are going to be the bridesmaids!" she squealed.

"Go." Edward gave her a gentle push. "I can see that my father is about to offer us his best cigars. We're going to smoke them on the patio."

Bella nodded, joining the women on the sectional sofa, where Rosalie was sitting in the place of honor.

Rosalie looked past Esme, her gaze meeting Bella's. Rose smiled a genuine and happy smile, no hesitation or apprehension visible in her face. Bella could not wait for them to be left alone, just the two of them so they could talk without witnesses.

Had Rosalie managed to forget her doubts and put to her fears to rest? And most importantly - how had she accomplished that?

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Bella was lying on her side, covered with a knitted blanket that her mother had made for her when she left home for college. It was her security blanket. Today was her twenty-sixth birthday and this morning just after her shift ended she'd received her blood test results. There was no doubt anymore. She was pregnant with Edward's baby.

A part of her wanted to run to him and scream the good news. Still something was holding her back, telling her that she needed to wait, that she had to be cautious, that she couldn't think only about herself any longer but also about her unborn child.

Hearing the front door open, she glanced at the clock. It was only three in the afternoon. What was he doing home so early? She didn't expect him for another two - three hours. She thought that she had some time to prepare herself mentally, to make a decision as what to tell him.

She shut her eyes and regulated her breathing so it would appear that she was in deep sleep.

Edward tiptoed into the bedroom and was soon leaning over her, kissing her temple. He put something on the bedside table, adjusted the blanket around her, pulled it higher over her arms and quietly left the room.

As soon as she heard him moving in the kitchen, she opened her eyes. There was a velvet box with a pretty bow attached to it, sitting next to the night lamp. It was another birthday present. So far she had received earrings and a bracelet in addition to the necklace he'd given her on Saturday. All the pieces were exceptionally lovely and modest enough so she could wear them every day. Judging by the shape of the box, it looked like another bracelet or perhaps a watch.

Sitting up, she reached for the box, opening it. Yes, it was a watch. There was a Tiffany & Co. logo engraved in the center of the watch dial. She didn't want to think how much it cost and if those were real diamonds around the watch face. But knowing Edward, they were.

"You're awake." He stood in the doorway, smiling. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yes, but you didn't have to."

He walked to the bed, sitting by her side. "I wanted to." He took the watch out of the box and placed it on her wrist, gently adjusting the satin-finish strap.

She lifted her hand to admire it. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"Happy birthday," he said sweetly.

She mastered a pale smile. "Thank you."

He cupped her cheek. "You're sad," he observed. "Is it about your parents? Have they called you? No?"

She looked down neither confirming nor denying. Let him think that it was about her mother and father ignoring her birthday. At least he wouldn't suspect anything different.

His arms went around her. She rested her head against his shoulder for a moment allowing herself to be comforted by his warmth, scent and closeness before she pulled away to look into his face.

"Edward," she paused, making sure she had his full attention. "You must tell me something."

His eyes narrowed for a second. "About?"

"You told me once that you were pre-med. Did you finish college?"

"Yes, I did."

"Did you start med school?"

"No, though I had plans to, I was even accepted to three medical schools across the country."

"And?"

"Things happened and I couldn't do it anymore."

"What exactly happened to make you change your plans?" she pressed.

There was a moment of silence before he answered. "I had to take care of my family. Emmett was in trouble, barely out of high school, and Alice was just a baby."

She swallowed. "Did your father...? I mean him being in a wheelchair…," her voice trailed off. "Did it happen around that time?"

"Yes, he was no longer able to take care of matters and I had to step in."

"Was he in an accident?"

"It wasn't an accident. Someone tried to kill him. He was shot with a bullet near his spine."

She looked down. Edward sounded so alien and detached answering her questions.

"What brought this on? You've never before asked me about the past."

"I'm trying to understand. I've never asked before because I thought that it must be very painful for you to talk about it."

"What changed? What are you asking me now?" he persisted.

"I've been thinking a lot lately." She hugged her legs to her chest. "I think that I'm getting cold feet," she admitted honestly.

"Baby, you know that I'll protect you." He cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You're safe with me. Protecting my family is my top priority; it's all I care about."

"I'm not afraid of getting hurt."

"Then what?"

Bravely she looked straight into his eyes. "I've never felt like this before about anyone, and when we are together, just you and me I'm so perfectly happy, but I can't forget about your other life."

"Bella," he shook his head, closing his eyes shortly. "What do you want me to say?"

"That you can start over somewhere else, doing something different, have a normal job."

"That's not possible," he said flatly without a moment of hesitation, without emotion.

"Never?"

"Not anytime soon. My father tried to step down once. You saw how he ended up."

She searched his face with hope. "Can't you just sell all those clubs, and close all the illegal businesses, retire, move to some quiet place far away from all this."

"Don't be naïve. They would kill me, my father and brother, sparing only the women...if we're lucky."

"I don't get it. Why? Why can't you walk away?"

"You don't understand? Having so much power and influence… you can't just resign and walk away; you have to pass it on to someone."

"You don't have anyone like that?"

"Someone who wouldn't try to kill me afterwards just to make sure that I retired for good? No."

"There must be a way to get out of this," she insisted, wrapping her fingers around his palms. "You're a good person."

He gave her a long, hard look, freeing his hands. "I try to make my businesses as legal and honest as possible."

"I'm not saying that you don't but…"

"What?" he barked.

"The fact that Rosalie and Emmett are expecting made me think."

"About?" his tone was openly hostile and suspicious now.

"How would I feel if I was in her place? Would I want my son to grow up in this family, knowing that one day he would have to make a choice like you were forced to make?"

Edward rose to his feet, glaring down at her. "Do you think that I would want my son to make such a choice?"

"No, of course not."

"I know what you're getting at," he hissed.

Her heart froze, her eyes widening.

He leaned down, cupping her chin between his fingers, holding her gaze. "You knew from the very beginning who I was, right?"

She nodded.

"You have had many opportunities to walk away, the last time was when your father was here, but you stayed. If you think that I will let you go now, you can think twice. I'm not your toy; I have feelings too. You're fucking not going anywhere. You're mine."

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She felt Edward's arms wrap around her from behind just as she was putting clean mugs into the cupboard over the sink. She stiffened under his touch - she just couldn't help herself not to. It had been two days since their conversation about their future and his family business. Edward behaved almost as if nothing had happened. He was quieter than usual perhaps, but that was the only difference visible in his behavior that she could see.

For Bella, it was beyond her power to pretend that everything between them was like it had been before.

His warm lips touched her neck, kissing gently. "Come on, baby, don't be like that, it's been two days."

She shut the cupboard door. "I can't just behave as if everything is all right between us."

"I love you, Bella," he murmured in her ear. "I want you to stay with me."

She turned in his arms, facing him. "You practically threatened me," she reminded him, holding his gaze.

He rubbed her arms. "I can't listen calmly when you're talking about leaving me."

"Should I keep silent then? Never speak about my doubts and fears concerning our future?"

His arms went around her, crushing her tightly to him. "I'm scared," he whispered so quietly that she could barely hear him. "You can't leave me."

She pushed away from him, stepping out of his embrace. "I have to go to the hospital," she said.

"I'll take you; it's raining," he insisted.

She preferred to walk, and a bit of rain would help to clear her head, but she didn't have the strength to argue with him about this.

She nodded. "Ok, let's go." She left the kitchen, walking into the bedroom to take her jacket from the closet.

Edward was right behind her. "We still have time if I'm driving you."

Bella shook her head. "Let's leave now. I am hoping to catch Carmen before my shift starts. I need to talk to her."

"Your supervisor?"

"Yes. You should remember her."

"I do. Has something happened that you need to talk to her?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent, but she knew that his interest was piqued.

She braced herself inwardly before replying. She had to be careful what she said to him, and how much. "It's about my vacation. I still have three weeks of paid vacation left for this year. I doubt that she would like me to take it all at once, but perhaps a week, or ten days."

She was standing with her back to him, putting on her jacket. She could feel his gaze on her the entire time.

"You're planning a vacation?"

"I feel tired. I am finding it difficult to concentrate on work," she paused. "I need to get away."

"Give me some time to organize everything, and we can go wherever you want. Somewhere warm? You liked California…"

She decided to interrupt him before he went too far with his plans. "I want to go to Forks, see my parents and brother."

"They're not speaking to you."

"I doubt that they will throw me out if I stand on their doorstep. And even so, I have enough old friends in Forks to stay with for a couple of days."

He gave her a long hard look. "Do you think that it's a good idea?"

She walked past him into the hall. "Seeing my family?" She pretended to be looking through her bag as if checking if everything she needed was in there.

"Perhaps you should wait," he suggested. "They seem pretty determined to ignore you."

"I want to see my family," she said calmly, not looking at him. "Are you going to forbid me from doing so?"

He didn't answer. From the corner of her eye, she saw him gathering his car keys and putting on his jacket. His expression was blank, but the muscles along his jaw line were tight.

"Let's go," he said, opening the front door for her.

The short ride to the hospital was quiet; Bella stared out of the window for most of the time. She bolted out of the car as soon as he stopped in front of the hospital. She didn't look back at him.

She was lucky to find Carmen in the break room. "Can we talk?" she asked without a proper greeting, hearing a note of desperation in her voice.

The older woman looked up from some paperwork. "Bella, you're too early."

"I know. Can we talk?"

Her supervisor nodded. "Close the door."

Bella did as she asked, and took a sit next the other woman.

"What's the matter?" Carmen asked. "Are you in trouble? You seem to be distracted lately, quieter."

"I need to use my paid vacation."

"Now?"

Bella nodded fervently. "As soon as possible; I have to go home, see my parents. I need a week, perhaps longer."

"It'd be difficult now; perhaps at the end of the month."

Bella looked down, clenching her hands together.

Carmen touched her back, stroking it reassuringly. "What's the matter, Bella? I've known you for four years, and I can see that something is wrong with you."

"I got myself in trouble. I think."

"You think, huh? Is it about that Cullen guy?"

Bella looked up, startled. "How do you know?"

"That's an easy guess, honey. I saw him bringing flowers to you a few months ago, just after he was released from the hospital. And when he was here, he was rude or indifferent to everyone except you. I was worried about you, but then you and Pedro went out together, and it calmed me down."

"I'm not seeing your nephew," Bella admitted honestly.

"I know, he told me that while he was in Ohio you began dating someone else. I had hoped that this other man wasn't Cullen, but some time ago, I accidently overheard you and Angela talking… and his name was mentioned."

Bella looked into Carmen's kind eyes. "You must think that I'm a complete idiot falling for him."

"No," Carmen replied quickly. "Not at all. Why do you think I'm a single mother? Do you think that my husband was an angel? It took me years to make the right decision and leave."

"I don't want to leave him," Bella cried with emotion. "But what's around him, it often terrifies me. I'm worried about the future with him."

"Oh dear, dear," Carmen sighed, patting her back. "I understand that you want to go to your parents for some time, hoping to have some distance from him."

"I don't know; I'm not sure, my father doesn't speak to me," she confessed. "He is furious with me."

"Don't be too hard on your father. I understand him as a parent. I don't know how I would react in such a situation, for sure I wouldn't be thrilled if my daughter was dating a mafia boss. He must be scared for you."

"I know."

"But it doesn't mean that he doesn't love you."

Bella nodded, staring passively in front of her.

"Bella, is there more?" Carmen asked tentatively. "Jane from the lab told me that you had a blood panel drawn. She had a strange face when she was telling me that."

Bella's eyes widened and she stared in panic at the other woman. "You think that she looked through them?"

"She might; she shouldn't have of course, but we all know how interested she likes to be in other people's business."

Bella covered her face with her hands. How stupid of her. She should have had the tests done elsewhere.

"Don't worry she won't tell anyone."

"You think?"

"She's not stupid; she knows that it's confidential. Will you tell me what the results were? Are you sick?"

"I'm not sick."

There was a long silence on Carmen's part. Bella could almost hear the wheels turning in other woman's head.

Finally, the inevitable question came. "Does Cullen know that you're pregnant?"

Bella shook her head.

"Do you want him to know?"

"I haven't decided yet. I know that he won't ever let me go if he learns about it."

"So you think that a week with your parents will help you to make the right decision?" Carmen summarized.

"I don't know, but I need some time away."

"Give me some time, ok? I'll give you answer by the end of your shift. Do you think that Angela may step in for you?"

"I think so. I haven't talked to her yet, but yes."

"Good." Carmen stood up. "Now hurry up. You should have started your shift ten minutes ago."

Carmen's tone was again all businesslike. Bella appreciated that. Work was good. At least for the next twelve hours she would have something tangible to concentrate her mind on.

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for being a beta for this chapter!**

"I don't understand why you have to go today," Edward remarked, leaning against the bedroom wall, his watchful eyes following her every move.

Bella was cruising between the closet and her bed where her smaller suitcase laid open. "I want to see my parents and Riley. I told you," she explained, putting a stack of fresh underwear into the suitcase.

"But why now? Why today?" he questioned. "You've just barely returned from work. It'll be dark when you reach Forks. Wait until tomorrow."

"Carmen managed to give me one week off. It was very kind of her. I want to use it to the full extent."

She zipped her suitcase, took it in her hand and was about to carry it to the hall, but Edward blocked her way.

"You're tired," he reminded her, staring her down. "I won't allow you to drive four hours to Forks."

She held his gaze, unwavering. Strangely the conversation with Carmen gave her unexpected strength and added to her spirits. He wouldn't intimidate her. She wanted to go and she would. A few days away from him was something that she needed, desperately.

"I'll take you," he insisted. "I won't allow you to drive such a long distance when you're exhausted after a night shift."

She stifled her irritation and answered calmly. "I don't think that it's the best idea," she said. "I want to make peace with my father not aggravate him even more. Showing up with you won't help."

Edward's face was tense for a moment. Bella knew that he had no argument to counter that. "Cesare will drive you," he announced.

"But I want to take my car," she protested.

"He'll drive you to Forks in your car," his voice was getting impatient.

"How will he return to Seattle?"

Edward shrugged dismissively. "He can rent a car."

"He'll have to go to Port Angeles to do that. You can't rent a car in Forks."

"Don't worry about him," he muttered through clenched teeth. "He'll be fine."

Bella nodded her head slightly. She knew that she had to relent a bit. Otherwise, Edward would go caveman on her again, perhaps even forbidding her from going.

Edward took out his phone. "I'll call him." He stepped into the living room. He was talking very quietly and very fast, and she could barely recognize a few words.

"He'll be here in half an hour," he said, turning to face her. "Give me this." He reached to take the suitcase from her.

"It's not heavy," she said, but he ignored her, carrying the suitcase to the hall, placing it next to the front door.

There was a long pause of awkward silence between them as he returned to the living room.

"Don't look at me like that," she said, coming to stand in front of him. "I need to do this, Edward. Please, understand me. I need to try."

"When you'll be back?"

"I have to be back to work next Monday. But, I'll be back around Saturday, perhaps Sunday. Riley's birthday is on Friday, so I think that Renee will have a birthday party for him the next day. I'll probably stay until then."

She took a step closer, so their bodies touched. She placed her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. Slowly, his arms went around her, and he kissed the top of her head, supporting his cheek against her temple.

"I have a feeling that something happened, that you're hiding something from me," he murmured.

She didn't dare to look up. She was afraid that he would read the answer in her eyes. "I'll be back on Sunday," she repeated.

He kissed the top of her head again. "If not, I'll come to get you."

She knew that he wasn't kidding. He would come for her. He wasn't afraid of her father, or anyone else for that matter.

"It won't be necessary," she assured him. "I'll be here."

Bella hoped that she had calmed him with her words, but she wasn't certain. He could very well show up in Forks uninvited in a day or two.

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"Can you stop here?" Bella asked as they were approaching a grocery store in Forks.

Without discussion, Cesare obediently stopped the car, parking a few yards from the shop.

"I want to drive from here alone," she explained. "I don't want my father to see a strange man has been driving me."

Cesare got out of her small Toyota, handing her the car keys.

"Thank you," Bella said, taking the keys from him. "I'm sorry that I can't invite you. My parents don't expect you."

"That's quite all right, Miss Swan. I understand."

"The owner of the grocery store is from Port Angeles and he travels there every evening so if you asked him nicely I'm sure that he would give you a lift. He's a nice man. You can tell me that you know me," she paused thinking. "Or better not. In Port Angeles, you can rent a car or even catch a direct plane to Seattle. If not, there's a motel about two miles from here, just go straight ahead and it's off the road, on the left."

"Miss Swan, don't concern yourself about me," he said, his expression as usual stoic and unreadable. "I will be fine."

She gave him a determined look. "You're sure?"

She thought that there was a hint of a smile forming on his face.

"Yes, I can always build a shelter in the forest," he replied, his expression perfectly serious.

"What?" Was he making fun of her?

"I assure you that I'm capable. I served in French Foreign Legion. I can build a shelter."

"Oh, ok," she replied dumbly.

He gestured for her to get into driver's seat and as soon as she was behind the wheel; he closed the door.

"Thank you for the ride," she said, lowering the window.

"That's my job, Miss Swan," he answered. "Drive safely."

As Bella was driving away, she made a point to glance back a few times. Cesare didn't move from in front of the grocery store even an inch. Poor man. She had to say that it was a tad inconsiderate of Edward to leave the man alone in a small town, in the middle of nowhere, without any means of transportation.

Her parent's house was situated on the far end of the little town, its backyard bordering on the never-ending forest. Her father loved the seclusion, her mother, not so much.

Bella would be lying if she said that she wasn't apprehensive. At this hour, they should be all home. She had to admit that she was somehow relieved when she didn't see her father's truck in the driveway, just her mother's old SUV.

She didn't see Riley until she heard his excited screams. "Bella, Bella!" he shouted, driving towards her full speed on his bike. He must be returning for dinner from one of his friends' houses down the road.

Riley hit the brakes, causing the black BMX almost to stop in place. He jumped off the bike, leaving it neglectfully right in the middle Renee's flower bed.

"Bella!" He ran right into her, hugging her waist. "You came for my birthday!"

"You bet!" she cheered, kissing his cheeks, which he reluctantly allowed.

"What do you have for me?" he cried excitedly. "Can I see?"

"You won't get the main gift before Friday, but this you may have now." She opened the trunk, reaching for the plastic bag which she'd put in separately before, wanting to have easy access to it. "Here," she handed it to Riley.

The boy didn't wait a second to dig inside. "Wow!" he cried, pulling out the hat and t-shirt she'd bought for him in California. "So cool! I'll wear them to school tomorrow."

"If you want," she said smiling, as he tore his old cap from his head, putting on the new one.

"Thank you, sis." He grinned at her.

Bella opened her mouth to say 'You're welcome' when she heard her mother's voice.

"Riley Charles Swan! What is that dirty bike doing in my flowers?" Renee was marching from the porch. "I told you so many times to take it straight to the garage. The front yard is not the place…" She stopped speaking when she saw her daughter.

"Bella?!" Renee cried unbelievably. "Bella, baby! It that you?" She ran to her daughter, and soon they stood close together in a tight embrace.

Renee pulled away quickly. "Bella, what is going on with you?" she asked, cupping her daughter's face. "What did you get yourself into, child? I was so scared when your father told me that you were dating some criminal, the brother of the boy who was hiding at our home almost ten years ago. He didn't even allow me to take your calls. He said that if we broke any contact with you, you would return home sooner. It seems that he was right."

"Oh, mum," Bella said her voice breaking. "Everything happened so fast. I don't know what to do."

Renee put her arm around her daughter, leading them to the house. "Come, honey. Let's talk. I refuse to think that it's as bad as your father insists it is. Edward seemed like such a charming young man when I talked to him on the phone."

Bella glanced behind her arm to make sure that Riley was occupied with opening the garage and parking his bike inside.

"It's pretty bad, mum," she admitted quietly.

Renee peered closely into her face. "How bad?" She asked, her voice cool.

Bella looked down. "I'm pregnant, mum."

"Riley, go upstairs, remove those dirty clothes and take a bath," Renee ordered as they all entered the house.

Riley made a face. "But Mum," he whined. "I want to stay with Bella."

Renee placed her hands on her hips, glaring down at the boy. A thought crossed Bella's mind that in a few years, Renee wouldn't able to stare him down. Riley was already tall for his age. He surely had taken after Charlie in the height department.

"No discussion young man. You won't sit at the table with us being this dirty. I don't even want to ask where you got so much mud on your clothes. Your sister is not going anywhere; she'll stay with us for a few days. Right, honey?" Renee asked, looking over at her daughter for confirmation.

Bella leaned to him. "I'm staying until your birthday, Ri. There will be plenty opportunity for us to spend time together."

Riley huffed, stomping in defeat toward the staircase.

"You are to sit in the water for at least ten minutes!" Renee cried when he was at the top of the stairs. "It should give us some time," she said in lowered voice, draping her arm over Bella's shoulders. "Come. Let's sit in the kitchen."

Bella sat obediently at the large, oak table. "Are you hungry?" Renee asked. "I can fix you something before dinner."

"No, mum, thank you. Edward took me out for a late lunch before I left for Forks."

Renee pulled out a chair and sat down, facing Bella. "Does he know about the baby?" she asked, regarding her daughter with quiet concern.

Bella shook her head. "He doesn't know. I only found out a few days ago. It is very early, so I had blood tests done to be sure."

"You think that he won't welcome the news?"

"Oh, I don't worry about that. He'll be very happy."

"Are you sure?" Renee sounded uncertain.

"Yes, mum. His younger brother is getting married soon -his girlfriend, Rosalie, is pregnant. He hinted more than once that he would have nothing against such a development happening in his life."

Renee was quiet for a longer moment. "Your father has a very bad opinion about him; about all of them. He is scared for you being between them. I've never seen him in such a state, well perhaps once… just after your accident when you were in a coma and later when they told us that you might have trouble with walking. Your father is, usually, so confident and in control… but now." Renee was shaking her head. "He's terrified and panicked. He has me scared, telling me stories about them. I just don't know what to think. I'm so confused. They don't seem bad."

"They aren't, Mum. I like spending time with them, with the whole family. Edward's father is a bit intimidating, but he was very polite to me, friendly even. And his mother, Esme, is such a warm, kind woman. It's easy to forget who they are when you are in their company."

"When you were in the hospital after your accident and that boy was hiding at our house…" Renee paused her forehead crinkling. "I didn't even know his name. I wasn't here a lot because I spent almost all of the time with you."

"I remember."

"So that boy hiding here almost ten years ago was your Edward's younger brother?"

"Yes, his name's Emmett."

"Your father told me back then that because of your medical bills, we had to keep him here that he was in trouble with the law and needed a safe hiding place. At first, I was scared of him, but after the first day in his company, I could see there was nothing in him that I should be afraid of. He was so polite and gentle. He even helped with the housework, without even being asked."

Bella smiled. "I like Emmett too. He's very easy going. I befriended his girlfriend, Rosalie."

They heard Riley bounding down the old stairs. The boy couldn't just walk down; he had to run.

"I'm hungry!" Riley cried from the doorway. He looked cleaner than before; wearing the t-shirt and hat Bella had given to him.

"I'll make a sandwich for you," Renee said, standing up. "We'll wait to eat dinner until your father's home."

"Where's dad?" Bella asked.

"He had to go to Port Angeles earlier today, but he should be back any minute." She cupped Bella's face as if sensing her apprehension. "Don't worry; he'll be happy that you came."

Renee started on the sandwich for Riley, when the boy came to stand next to her. "Look mum," he pointed to his t-shirt and hat. "I got them from Bella."

"They're very nice," Renee assured.

"I'm going to wear them to school tomorrow."

"I have something for you too, mum," Bella said, reaching for her hobo bag, taking out the beautifully wrapped scarf from the Pismo Beach boutique.

Renee put the sandwich in front of Riley and cleaned her hands quickly.

"Oh, how lovely!" she exclaimed, opening the wrapping and admiring the scarf. "You didn't have to, honey, it had to be terribly expensive."

"I wanted to. We went to California for a long weekend some time ago. I saw it in the shop window, and I thought right away that you'd like it."

"I love it. Thank you, baby." She leaned down to kiss her cheek, and give her a one arm hug.

They all froze in place, including Riley, when they heard the roar of the truck pulling up to the house.

Renee put a hand on Bella's shoulder, squeezing. "It's going to be fine."

"Bella, are you here?" Charlie's voice carried from the foyer as he entered the house.

"We're in the kitchen," Renee said, keeping her voice strong.

Charlie stepped in the kitchen, his eyes instantly searching for Bella, and settling on her once he saw her sitting at the table.

Slowly, Bella lifted to her feet. "Hi, Dad," she croaked.

"You're home," Charlie breathed in relief, dropping heavily onto the nearest chair.

"I'm ok, Dad. I'm all right," Bella whispered, kneeling by his side. Charlie's arms went around her, embracing her tightly.

"Thank God, thank God," Charlie chanted, kissing the top of her head repeatedly. "I knew that you would come to your senses. You're too smart to be fooled like that."

Very slowly, Bella pulled away from him. "Dad, I only came for a few days, for Riley's birthday. I have to be back to work on Monday."

"You don't have to go back. There is a job for you in Port Angeles."

Bella stood up, looking at the hardwood floor her mother was so proud of. "Dad, it's not that easy. I have to go back. My entire life is there."

Nobody said anything for a long moment.

"You're still with him, aren't you?" Charlie demanded, cutting the silence.

"Please, Dad, please, I'm in love with him and he's good to me. I can't just walk away."

Charlie rose to his full height. "He's good to you?" he roared. "Like he is good to other people?!" His face turned red; a pulsating vein was visible on his forehead.

Suddenly, Charlie turned on his heels, leaving the kitchen, his heavy boots echoing through the dark house.

He was soon back, a newspaper in his hand. He grabbed Bella's arm, making her sit at the table again.

"Read," he ordered, pointing with his finger to the article on the fifth page of The Seattle Times.

Bella lowered her gaze, reading the headline.

Mafia –Run Baby Factories. Cullen Mafia Family receives a major blow to their profitable business. Is it the end to their human trafficking activity in North America?

She closed her eyes, turning her head away, but her father hit his fist against the table. "Read," he repeated.

She skimmed the first few paragraphs.

_According to reports, the 'baby factory' business is still booming in Eastern Europe. Young girls from Romania and Bulgaria are being forced into impregnation and kept in seclusion until delivery. After_ _the babies have are delivered, they are forced to give away their children for illegal adoptions to the wealthier countries, including the USA. _

_Authorities have known for some time that the Cullen family has stood firmly on the receiving end of the baby trade business in America. In the last few days, FBI agents managed to successfully apprehend the right-hand man to the Cullen family bosses, Sam Miazga._

_Miazga (age 52) is directly responsible for handling the baby factory business on behalf of the infamous Carlisle Cullen and currently acting boss, his son Edward Cullen…_

She shut her eyes again. She didn't want to read more.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Bella sat in her small car in the parking lot in front of Forks Elementary. Her mother asked her to pick Riley up from school today - more like demanded. It was a good idea even though Bella didn't feel like leaving home at all. She'd been holed up in her old room for two days. It was strange -her parents had changed nothing there. It looked exactly the same as the day she'd left for college.

She needed to go out, breathe some fresh air, and spend some time with Riley. Her little brother was disappointed that she'd devoted so little attention to him. It was time to make it up to him.

Since she had read that horrible article, she had found herself in a state of permanent shock. A small part of her rebelled against the idea that her Edward could have supported selling new born babies, taking them from their teenage mothers, and later forcing those girls into prostitution. But another voice inside of her head was telling her that she shouldn't be surprised, that she'd been naïve thinking that his illegal activities were somehow justifiable, and not so deplorable.

A knock on the window startled her. Glancing up she saw Cesare. What was he doing here? Edward must have sent him back for her. She should shave expected that Edward would try to contact her somehow since she'd refused to take his calls or read his messages.

Reluctantly, she got out of the car. Cesare's face was impassive. He extended his hand to her with a Blackberry nestled neatly in his big palm. "Boss is calling you, Miss Swan."

Bella eyed the black, sleek cell phone, shaking her head, mouthing 'no'.

"Bella, what's going on?!" Edward's voice came from the speaker. "It's been two days! Bella! Bella? Are you there? Talk to me!"

Quickly, she snapped the phone into her hand, ending the call with one flick of her thumb.

She gave the phone back to Cesare.

"Perhaps it is not my place to tell you this, Miss Swan, but…"

"But?" she asked coolly.

"If you want to make the boss come here to see you in person, avoiding his calls and ignoring him is the best possible strategy."

Bella looked down. Cesare was right. She was childish. Edward would not disappear from her life. She had to talk to him at some point and sooner than she had imagined.

Cesare walked away without another word. Thankfully a small group of kids ran out of school, taking her mind off of the present moment.

"Bella!" Riley shouted as soon as he spotted her.

Bella smiled and waved, giving him a hug as he ran to her.

"You came for me?" he asked, excitedly.

"I sure did." She grinned down at him. "I'm taking you to dinner. Your choice."

The boy's dark eyes lit up. "Can we go to McDonalds?"

"In Port Angeles?"

"Yep." Riley nodded reverently. "They have some cool toys now."

Travelling to another town just to get some plastic crap from a restaurant was not something that she fancied today, or any day for that matter. But, she was ready to make this little sacrifice just to see Riley's happy face. After all, she'd promised herself that she would make it up to him for the last two days of ignoring him.

She winked at him. "Get in."

For the entire ride, Riley talked non-stop about his friends, school, and who was coming to his birthday party on Saturday. And, that Dad had promised him that they would have a trampoline if it wasn't raining.

Bella concentrated on the road, pretending to listen, nodding her head from time to time, and smiling at her brother, ruffling his hair.

McDonalds was pretty crowded at this time of the day, but they managed to find a place in the booth by the window.

Riley was busy with his food and a new toy so Bella didn't expect his question when it came.

"Bella, what's a baby factory?"

She nearly spilled her orange juice, eyes widening. "Where have you heard about that?"

"I found a newspaper; the one Dad told you to read."

"Have you read it?"

He shook his head. "Just the beginning. Mum took it from me before I could read more."

Bella breathed in relief. "That's good. You shouldn't read it."

"I ask Mum about the baby factory, but she didn't want to answer. She told me to go to my room and start on my homework."

"It's a very sad story and Mum didn't want to upset you."

There was a determination set on his little face. "I want to know."

"Riley, please, just drop it for now. Ok? I promise that I will

explain it to you in a few years when you are older."

"Fine," he agreed after a minute of hesitation. "Is it like those horror movies? The one's dad never lets me watch because he says I would have nightmares?"

"Exactly. I couldn't say it better. Do you want anything else?" she asked hoping to distract him. He was finished with his burger, munching down on the fries.

"No, I'm good." He swallowed. "Why are you and dad fighting? Is it about Edward?"

God, how was she supposed to answer that?

To her relief Riley continued, not expecting an immediate answer from her. "I heard Dad speaking to Mum that he's not good for you. I don't understand why. I like him. He was very good to me. Everyone at school was so jealous of what I did with Edward in Seattle. Paintballing especially. It was good that I had pictures because they didn't believe me. Everyone said that my sister had the best boyfriend. Peter says that his sister's boyfriend ignores him, and never does anything with him."

"Dad and I - we're not fighting," she said, keeping her voice firm.

"You did the evening you came back, and now you don't speak."

Bella sighed, regarding her little brother with both admiration and a slight irritation. He was too perceptive for his own good. "We have had some misunderstandings - it happens in every family."

Riley put fries in his mouth. "But you're going to be okay, right?"

She could see worry creeping into his eyes. "Don't talk with your mouth full," she scolded. "And yes, dad and I are going to be ok," she added in a gentler voice. "Don't you dare worry about that."

He smiled. "Ok."

"I have to go to the bathroom," she said, standing up. "Stay right here. Don't go anywhere," she stressed. "You hear me?"

He nodded silently.

She did her business as fast as possible, not wanting to leave Riley alone for longer than necessary. Freaks were everywhere, even in Port Angeles.

As soon as she had left the lady's room, she stopped in her tracks. There was a man sitting in front of Riley. Even from afar, she knew exactly who it was. That bright red hair couldn't go unnoticed.

"Hi," she said bravely.

Edward stood up, reaching for her. "Hi, baby." His tone was calm, not angry and shouty like on the phone. "Is everything all right?" he asked, putting his arm around her, leaning down to kiss her temple.

She shook her head, not meeting his eyes.

She felt him stiffen next to her. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Later," she said. "We'll talk later. I need to get Riley home first. Then, we can talk."

Edward stepped back from her.

"Come, Ri," she nudged her brother, picking up the mess he'd made on the plastic tray.

"Oh, do we have to?" the boy whined. "Edward has just come. And you said earlier that we could check out what's in the movies."

"Yes, we have to go. It's late, almost five. You have school tomorrow and homework to do. I'll take you to the movies another time."

"But, I only have one tiny, little assignment for tomorrow. I'll have it finished in ten, fifteen minutes max. It's just one small exercise."

"No discussion young man," she told him, her voice firm. "Take your toys and let's go."

Riley let out a tortured sigh, but obediently picked up his things, put on his hat and walked after Bella and Edward to the car.

Bella noticed the black BMV parked by her small white car; the one Edward, usually, liked to use, with his bodyguard-driver waiting by the car.

"If you could follow us to Forks," Bella proposed, managing to look Edward right into the eye. "I'll drop Riley and then we can talk."

He regarded her carefully, his expression tense. "As you wish."

"Can I go with Edward in his car?" Riley pleaded, making puppy dog eyes.

"No, you can't," Bella said. "Get in the car."

Thankfully, Riley was quiet on their ride home. He was probably upset that they'd left so abruptly and that he had been denied the opportunity to ride with Edward in his fancy car. Either way, she was grateful for the silence.

It began to rain, so she drove carefully. The tires on her car were pretty bald, and she didn't want to risk sliding off the road.

It was half past six when they pulled up her parents' home.

Riley got out of the car as soon as she turned off the engine, running to Edward.

She made her way to Edward, who was talking animatedly with Riley. "Ri, go inside," she said.

The boy looked up at her. "Is Edward coming too?"

"No, I need to talk with Edward about something, alone."

"Ok," Riley murmured, his little shoulder slouching in resignation. "Come, say goodbye to Edward."

The boy hugged the man around the waist before running into the house.

"I'll be right back," Bella said quickly, following her brother.

As soon as she entered the house, she bumped into her father.

"What is he doing here?" Charlie demanded angrily, looking through the lacy curtains of the narrow foyer window.

"I have to talk to him, Dad," she replied calmly. "He won't just disappear. We were practically living together; he was looking for an apartment for us. I have to speak to him."

Charlie grunted something under his breath.

"Do you have the newspaper?" Bella asked.

Charlie was back in a second with the paper in his hand.

"Thanks," Bella said, taking it from him. "I'll be back soon."

She was opening the door when her father's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

She shook her head. "No, dad, I have to do this myself."

"I'll be right back, watching your back," Charlie assured her with a weird eagerness in his voice.

Taking a deep breath to calm and brace herself, Bella stepped out of the house, without hesitation marching towards Edward.

"I'm sorry that I can't invite you inside," she said, hiding the newspaper behind her back.

"That's ok, I understand," he agreed quickly. "Let's go somewhere, I saw a small diner and a bar on the way here, we could talk there."

"No, we'll talk here," she said, looking straight in his eyes.

"Let's sit in the car at least," he proposed. "It's drizzling. You'll get sick."

"I'll be fine," she said harshly. "Can you explain this to me?" she asked, showing him the newspaper.

"Shit," he whispered eyeing the headline Bella was holding right in front of his eyes, a clearly visible panic widening his eyes.

"Well?"

He stepped forward, placing his hands on her arms, bringing her closer. "Bella, baby, I'll explain everything to you. It's not like it looks like."

She nodded. "Ok, I have a few questions."

He swallowed, his hands dropping from her arms. "I'll answer, I'll answer every question."

"Were those baby factories real?"

"Yes, but…"

"No," she interrupted him. "No buts. Were they real?"

"Yes, they were."

"And what's described here, how they treated those girls, is that all true?"

"Yes."

"Did your family have involvement in any of this?"

"Yes, but…"

"I told you." She pointed her finger in his chest. "I am not interested in buts!"

"Bella, please, I beg you," he whispered. "It's not like that. Let me explain, baby, please."

"Don't call me that!" she shouted. "You're a monster! How can you even live with yourself?! How can you look in that face of yours every day? Those girls were taken from their homes on the pretense of getting hotel jobs to earn money to help their families. Then, they were raped in order to get them pregnant, their babies taken away from them, and later they were forced into prostitution! They were your sister's age. How do you think their brothers felt when they found out how they were treated? Just because they were born poor, and there was nobody in their countries to rescue them from this? Don't you know that there's nothing worse for a woman to have her baby taken away from her?"

Her chest heaved, and she felt slightly dizzy. She didn't look at him; she couldn't. "I'll stay here until Sunday. Please take all of your belongings from my apartment, and leave the keys with Rosalie. I'll contact her later," she managed calmly.

Her eyes on the ground, she turned on her heels, stepping away from him.

She didn't walk far when she felt a vice grip on her wrist.

"You must listen to me first," he told her, pulling her to back him.

"I've heard enough," she said, looking up at him. God was he crying. His eyes were brimmed red.

His expression changed, hardened. "I won't let you go. I told you that already."

"Then kill me," she whispered. "Or send me to Bulgaria to one of those establishments you run there."

Their heads turned at the sound of a single gunshot. Charlie was standing a few yards behind them with his rifle, aiming at Edward. "Let go of my daughter. Leave her alone and get off of my property."

Bella gasped in terror, her heart stopping for a moment when she saw that Edward's bodyguard was aiming his gun at Charlie.

Edward gave his man a sign, causing him to hide the weapon and step back.

"This isn't the end," Edward said, looking into Bella's eyes, not loud enough for Charlie to hear.

Charlie didn't lower his rifle until Edward got into his car, and the black BMW disappeared into the fog down the road into the thick forest.

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing! _


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

_**EdwardsFirstKiss is a beta for this chapter. Thank you so much!**_

For most of the afternoon, Bella listened to the unmistakable sounds of her brother's birthday party. The dozen boys and a few girls were running around the house with never ending energy. When it started to rain they invaded the house, their screams and laughter filling old walls.

In the last few days, Bella had developed a nasty cold. Just what she needed on the top of everything else. A pounding headache, sore throat and runny nose had forced her into bed on Friday. She still hoped to recover before Monday when she had to be back at work, but the chances were slim. Because of her pregnancy, she couldn't take anything stronger than Tylenol. Renee was treating her with chicken soup.

Edward kept calling and sending flowers every single day. All she felt was disgust. She'd never thought that she would feel like that about him. There was even a call from Esme and two from Rosalie, which she had ignored as well. Bella knew that Rosalie had her doubts and reservations about the Cullens and their lifestyle, but what about Esme? Edward's mother seemed like such a warm, kind and tender person. Didn't she know about all the monstrosities her husband and sons had been involved in? If she knew, how she could live with it? Was her goodness was just a pretense, a smoke screen?

Deep down, Bella wanted to have a long conversation with Esme. Perhaps that would help her understand. But, she doubted whether Mrs. Carlisle Cullen would be honest with her. The woman would only have one agenda – say everything to convince Bella to take Edward back.

There was a short knock at the door, and before Belle could say enter, Renee was poking her head inside. "You're not sleeping?" Her mother smiled brightly.

"No, mum, come in," Belle sat up, propping herself against the pillows.

Renee stepped in, a plate in her hand. She closed the door quietly and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Riley is sending you a piece of cake."

Bella took the plate, putting in on the bedside table. "Thank you. I'll have it later," she said. "How's Riley?"

"He's having a blast. Your father is watching over them now. He was sad that you weren't there when he blew out the candles. But he understands that you're sick."

Bella lay down, curling into a ball.

Renee pulled a patchwork comforter higher over her, covering her arms and shoulders, almost up to her neck.

"How are you feeling?" Renee asked, touching the side of Bella's face with the back of her hand. "You don't have a fever anymore."

Bella closed her eyes for a moment, new tears forming under her eyelids, pinching her eyes. "I just want to stay in this room forever," she admitted. "Never get up from this bed..."

Renee kept stroking her face, drying her tears. "I felt similar when I found out that I was pregnant with you. I was terrified. I thought that if I stayed in my bed, the problem would somehow disappear. But eventually, I had to face the music, tell your father, my parents."

"How could I make such a mess out of my life? I knew from the beginning who he was …"

"He was charming, handsome, attentive and patient." Renee guessed knowingly, no accusation in her voice. "The flowers for you have been delivered again this morning."

"Have you refused the delivery?"

"I have. They were from the Port Angeles florist. They will surely inform him that you sent them back."

"Thank you. I don't want to give him any hope. Oh, mum, I genuinely thought that he wasn't that bad."

Renee rubbed her arm reassuringly. "I know, baby. I believe you. "

"He told me that he had to become who he is now that he had no other choice that he had to protect his family, and I just believed him."

"I know that it all seems terrible now, but in time everything will work out." Renee's voice was soothing. "You'll see."

"I don't know how, Mum. How? How?" she cried desperately. "He can't learn about the baby. He'll never let me go."

"You know that you can count on us. Your father and I will help you. You'll stay with us until the baby is born."

"Mum, I can't stay here. It's the first place he'll look for me. Perhaps I should go away, hide somewhere, and disappear? But where?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea, honey," Renee cautioned. "If you suddenly disappear, won't he grow suspicious?"

It made Bella think for a moment. "You're right. He may think that something happened to me. He'll start to search for me."

"My advice for you is to stay calm and collected for my grandbaby's sake. You'll return to Seattle, and go back to work for the time being, let's say for a few weeks. In the meantime, you will put your apartment on the market, quit your job and move here with us."

"Mum, it's not that simple. I doubt that I will get any additional money from selling my apartment. Not in today's market. I won't be able to start work in Port Angeles until after the baby is born. In a few months, it will be difficult for me to lift and work night shifts. No one will hire me."

"Oh, don't you worry about that, we'll help you. That's the smallest of your problems. We'll pay all your medical bills, and cover the other expenses until you're able to return to work."

"Mum, I can't ask you to do that. It's not your responsibility."

"We are your parents, of course, we will help you," Renee said firmly. "I don't want to hear another word of protest. What nonsense."

"What about Dad? He hates Edward. He won't be thrilled when he learns about the baby, taking into consideration who the father is."

Renee smiled. "Your father already knows. I told him."

Bella sat up. "He does? You did?"

"He was shocked, but he's quickly getting over it. He wants to protect you and the baby. He'll be fine."

Bella was silent for a long minute; her forehead supported on her bent knees. "Mum, it won't work. It can't. Edward will find out," she was panicking. "I don't know how I can hide the pregnancy from him. He has a bodyguard following me everywhere."

"You must try, perhaps after a few months he will get the message that you want him out of your life, and leave you alone." Renee sounded very hopeful and optimistic. "The pregnancy won't be visible for another three months or so. When I carried you, I barely showed until the fifth month. And by that time, you'll be safe here with us, preparing for the baby's arrival."

"And if he finds out?"

Renee looked her right in the eyes. "Then you'll have to do everything in your power to make sure that your child has a life as normal as possible, taking into consideration the circumstances and who its father is. You can never give up because now you have someone to love, live for, and fight for."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

From the moment Bella pulled up to her apartment building late Sunday evening; she cautiously looked around. As she picked her small bag from the trunk of her little car she listened carefully, expecting one of Edward's men to jump out of nowhere. But, she entered the building and reached the elevator without any disturbance. There was a chance that Edward had gotten the message and decided to give her some space. There had been no flower delivery this morning, and he hadn't tried to call her since yesterday.

It had been very difficult to convince her father to stay home. He'd insisted on coming with her, but Renee had managed to convince him that there was no point to it. Her decision to return to Forks was final after all – she just needed some time to wrap up matters in Seattle. She would need her father's help in a few weeks with the move to Forks. Although, she could hire moving company that would be another expense, and she needed to keep her mere savings untouched. The baby would cost a lot. She couldn't count on her parents paying for everything.

On entering her apartment, she'd switched on the lights. She left her bag by the door, walking straight into her bedroom. She wanted to see whether Edward had done as she'd asked him and removed his possessions.

"No such luck," she whispered touching the sleeve of a navy blue suit hanging neatly in her closet.

"I was worried about you," a deep voice said right behind her.

Startled, she exclaimed softly.

"Easy," he crooned; his hands crept around her waist, his warm, soft lips on the nape of her neck.

She turned in his arms, facing him. "You scared me," she said in a strong voice. "You shouldn't be here." She wrapped her fingers around his wrists, trying to remove his hands from her waist, with no success. "I asked you to remove your things, and they are still there," she accused.

Aggressively, he pushed her back against the closet. "I missed you baby," he murmured fervently, his lips descending to kiss her neck.

"Edward, no," she said firmly, pushed at his chest with all her might.

"Come on, baby, let's make up," he whispered, his right hand sliding down her stomach, quickly opening the buttons on her jeans. "I know that you want me."

A wave of nausea hit her then. "Edward, let me go, I'm going to be sick."

"Don't be like that," he said, his fingers dipping inside her panties. "I'll make you feel good."

She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes bulging. She made a sound in the back of her throat which finally brought Edward's attention to her face and away from the inside of her pants.

He stepped back, an expression of alarm painted on his handsome face, which allowed her to move past him and run into the bathroom. As she emptied her stomach, she idly wondered what caused it. It must have been something she'd eaten. Perhaps the cake from Riley's birthday? It couldn't be the baby. It way too early for morning sickness.

"You're ok?" he asked, hovering behind her.

"Fine," she breathed, with effort lifting from her knees to wash her face and rinse her mouth.

She splashed cold water over her eyes several times, before reaching for a towel to dry her face.

As she turned on her heels to step out of the small bathroom, she bumped right into Edward. She swayed a bit, grabbing onto the sink for support.

He scooped her up in his arms, carrying her back to the bedroom, placing her on the bed.

"You're sick," he announced, pushing the hair from her face.

"No kidding," she murmured. "It's just the flu. I caught it in Forks."

His hand went to her forehead. "You feel hot. Why did you travel alone in such a state?"

"I felt better this morning. Besides, I need to be back at work tomorrow."

"You're not going to work tomorrow. You're too sick. The flu can be very dangerous."

She glared at him; her irritation growing. "I know very well how dangerous the flu can be. I just need a good night sleep, and I'll be fine. I start my shift in the afternoon, so I have plenty of time to sleep in tomorrow." She wanted him gone. Why was he making everything so difficult?

With an effort, she sat up, looking into his concerned eyes. "I see that you haven't removed your things. I'll pack them tomorrow. Please send someone to pick them up."

He blinked. "I thought we'd talk first."

"There's nothing to talk about," she said coldly. "Leave the keys on the coffee table before you leave, and shut the door," she said, surprised how lifeless her voice sounded.

He cupped her cheek. "I have to explain first. You misunderstood that article. Your father turned you against me."

She closed her eyes. "I don't want to hear your explanations, Edward. I want this to end," she whispered.

"Don't say that." He buried his face in her neck. "I love you; I won't let you go. Ever."

She pulled away from him. "Can't you see that it makes no sense? Us? I tried to fit in your life, adjust, accept who you are, but I can't. I feel disgusted with you after what I read in that paper. I am sick to the core thinking that you are even partially involved in something as horrible as baby factories. I can't live with it. I can't pretend. It's better to end this now because it'll be incomparably more painful and harder in a few months or years when we'll be even more bound to each other. You should find someone who can deal with it."

He lowered himself to his knees by the edge of the bed, resting his head on her lap, his hands coming around her, tightly keeping her to him.

"Please, Bella. I beg you, don't do this. I will give all the money I earned from trafficking to the charity; I swear. I'll do everything in my power to make it up to those women and their families. Please, baby." His voice was cracking; his broad shoulders shaking. He was crying.

She couldn't respond the way he wished her to. Something shut down inside of her. Gently, she untangled his hands from around her and pushed him away from her.

"No, Edward. Send someone tomorrow around one o'clock to collect the boxes with your things."

When she looked at him, she didn't see him crying and in despair. He looked furious.

"You fucking cunt," he hissed, his eyes narrowing. "I gave you everything, trusted you, and treated you like a fucking queen. I introduced you to my mother. I wanted to marry you, have children with you. And this is how you repay me?!" he roared, rising to his feet, stretching to his full height. "You're just like the others! You're no better that the whores I hire. No, you're worse. At least they are honest about who they are, not lying, deceitful bitches like you." He grabbed her face, his fingers digging into the skin of her cheek. "You think that you're too good for me?" he spat in her face. "You think that you're better than all of us? Fucking hypocrite! You would have been a fucking cripple if not for the money my father gave to your father for hiding Emmett! At that time, we were good and convenient for you father!"

He let go off her face and for a short moment she thought that he would hit her, but instead he directed his fist into the door of her closet, making a small dent in it.

Her eyes widened as she saw the blood dripping from his knuckles. He didn't even flinch.

"I thought that you were enough of a woman to stand by me, no matter what. That you were something good and bright coming into my life at last," he said, after a moment, his voice much calmer. "But you are just another disappointment I have to deal with." He straightened up proudly. "A little girl who hides behind her father's back, not a woman a man can count on. You're right. It's good I learned about your real worth early, having wasted only a couple of months on you."

"Edward," she breathed, stunned by his words. She had no idea how to respond, what to say.

He reached inside his jacket, taking out the small set of keys. "Here," he threw them in her lap.

"I won't bother you anymore," he vowed. "I don't want any of the things I had here. I don't want anything that reminds me of you. You can burn them or give them away; I don't care."

With those words, he turned on his heels and left the room, his decided steps echoing throughout her small apartment. A moment later she heard the sound of the front door shutting loudly.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Two months had passed without a single message or a phone call from Edward. Bella was learning to live her life anew without him. It was strange that he'd rooted himself so deeply in her daily routine even though they had dated for only a few shorts months.

Her worries that he wouldn't want to let her go had proved to be entirely unfounded after all. None of the Cullens had tried to contact her, not even Esme and Alice. Only Rosalie called her a few days after the final breakup with Edward. It was a rather awkward conversation, especially on Bella's side. Rosalie had been gracious and delicate in her inquiries, understanding even. They had mutually agreed that the idea of Bella being a bridesmaid in Emmett and Rosalie's wedding was no longer a good one. Still, Rosalie had insisted on Bella coming to the wedding, if not to the reception, then to the church. Bella had told her that she would think about it, even though deep down she knew that she wouldn't be coming.

Bella wasn't sure whether Edward had called off the security on her. Every time she left home, whether it was going to work or running errands; she looked around and behind her. She tried to spot Cesare or another one of Edward's bodyguards that she'd become familiar with in the last few months. But, she didn't see anyone or else they were careful not to be seen by her. After all at the beginning she hadn't even noticed that she had a bodyguard following her. It wasn't until Edward had told her that she knew one was watching her.

She'd had a final conversation with the hospital's HR department. With the support of both Carmen and Dr. Phillips, they had given her a good exit package, even though she was quitting before the end of her contract. She'd received three months of fully paid maternity leave which was a blessing. She promised to work until they found her replacement.

The sale of her apartment was going very slowly. The real estate agent said that even though her place was in a great location, and close to the hospital, it was too small and below standard for a doctor to buy it. She was forced to lower the price considerably, and now she was hoping for any offer. She prayed every day that something would come up. She simply could not afford to keep it. In a few months, she would be a single mother without work. Even with the help of her parents, she had to count every dollar.

Angela and Ben offered to help, including financial aid, but she sincerely hoped that it wouldn't come to that, and she would be forced to accept it. Nevertheless, she was deeply touched with their concern and support. Angela had spent a lot of time with her in the first two weeks following the breakup with Edward. She'd even stayed overnight when Bella had been at her worst. Bella asked her and Ben to stand as godparents for her baby. She couldn't imagine anyone better suited for this important role.

At last she had a buyer was able to sell her apartment without a loss, but without any additional cash left. Still, she was happy that someone had come along and she could at last move to Forks. It was high time. She was nearing her fourth month of pregnancy and even though she hadn't put on much weight due to the morning sickness and overall lack of appetite, her tummy was hard and starting to get round. She wore a loose fitted parka jacket to work, so her condition wasn't visible, but she had to buy new pants because the old ones were already too tight in the waist. She was careful enough to buy them online. Perhaps, she was paranoid, but if Edward was still having her followed, a visit to a maternity shop would surely raise his suspicions.

The good news was that a job was already waiting for her in Port Angeles. Charlie was a fishing buddy with the HR director of the local hospital, and they wanted her to start work the first of July next year. Her baby would be barely two months old, and she didn't look forward to leaving the little one so early in its life, but she had no choice. She was grateful for the job.

Over those few months, she tried her best not to think about Edward and failed miserably. Despite the horrible things he had said to her that last night, and the names he'd called her, she'd felt a fair amount of guilt as well as disappointment in herself. In a way, she had let him down. She couldn't be what he wanted her to be.

She didn't feel resentment towards him. She wished him all the best.

She often reminded herself that her decision of keeping the information about the baby to herself was a right and sensible one. Despite her decision, she had the same returning dream nearly every night. She was standing in front of Edward in his loft and telling him about the baby. She never knew his reaction because she always woke up before she could see it.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Bella walked into the church, wincing at the echo of her heels on the stone floor. She blushed, feeling numerous pairs of eyes on her. She did not dare look up. Just once, she glanced at the altar, seeing Emmett and right next to him catching a glimpse of Edward's messy mop of hair.

Quietly, she moved to stand at the back of the church, hidden next to the one of the confessionals. Anxiously, she waited for the arrival of the bride, staring at the entrance. At last, the Mendelssohn march was played, and Rosalie walked in, wearing an empire style, ecru dress with Jasper by her side, giving her an arm.

Jasper was the first person who saw Bella. He nudged Rosalie to turn her head. Bella grinned at her, making a small wave.

"You looked beautiful," Bella mouthed, giving her a thumbs up.

Rosalie winked at her and grinned back.

Bella stepped a bit closer to the aisle in order to see the back of Rosalie's dress. It was a mistake because her eyes met with Edward's for a moment. She looked away before she could read his expression, and moved back into her corner.

The wedding was beautiful. It was the first Catholic wedding that she had attended, and everything was interesting and a bit mysterious.

As soon as the priest gave the signal that the ceremony was over, Bella walked out of the church, standing far away near the iron fence.

The day was beautiful for late November. Rosalie was lucky to have such good weather getting married so late in the fall. The temperature was comfortable, and there were even glimpses of the sun coming through the clouds.

Bella admired the guests pouring out of the church. There seemed to be hundreds of people, all in designer clothes and fancy hats.

She must look poor and plain in her grey pea coat, with her hair pulled back in a simple, high ponytail.

There was a crowd of well-wishers gathered around the happy couple, but Bella had no intention of stepping closer. She wanted desperately to speak a few words to Rosalie and wish her all the best. She even had a present –a crystal bowl. She saw it in a window display a few days ago when she was leaving the real estate agency. It was expensive, made in the Czech Republic, and even though Bella's budget was very tight at the moment, she wanted something nice to give to Rosalie. And that bowl, made of fine glass with splashes of blue and purple, would look great in Rosalie's salon.

She was about to give the present to one of the security guards when she noticed Rosalie and Jasper walking towards her. Just the two of them, the rest of the Cullens stayed behind, turned with their backs to her.

"I'm so happy that you came," Rosalie whispered, hugging her.

"Me too. I wish you all the best, Rosalie," Bella said sincerely, kissing her cheek.

"What about you?" Rose worriedly asked. "How are you?"

Bella put a brave expression on her face. "I'm fine; I've just sold my apartment, and I'm moving back to my hometown, I have a good job there too."

Rosalie smiled, but her eyes were sad and concerned. "You're sure? Do you need help?"

Bella nodded, smiling. "Here," she handed the decorative bag with a big bow to the bride. "Careful, its glass."

"Oh, you didn't have to," Rosalie cooed, taking the bag and giving it to Jasper.

"I wanted to," Bella brightly assured her.

Rosalie opened her mouth to say something more, but Emmett called her name, urging her to hurry.

Rose grabbed Bella's hand. "Come with us to the reception."

Bella shook her head. "We both know that's not the best idea, but we should stay in contact."

Rose leaned down to kiss her cheek, whispering. "He still loves you. Don't give up."

Stunned and speechless, Bella watched as Rosalie walked away to Emmett, who rushed her to the waiting limousine.

The long row of cars pulled up in front of the church one by one, the family and guests waiting patiently for their vehicles, smiling and talking animatedly.

Bella moved closer to the crowd waving at Rosalie's smiling face, visible in the lowered car window.

She pretended that she didn't notice the tall, thin blonde clenching possessively to Edward's arm. But she did notice. And it hurt like hell to see him with another woman.

As soon as the car with Rosalie and Emmett disappeared down the road, she turned on her heels and began to walk quickly, not glancing back.

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing this chapter! Thank you!**

Bella didn't expect that her return home would be so challenging on so many levels. For such a long time she had been completely on her own and now at twenty-six it was so strange to return to her old home, her childhood room, start living with her parents again.

Forks was a tiny place, and after living for years in a big city like Seattle when you were completely anonymous, and no one was interested in your business, she forgot what a small town gossip was. Every time she entered the grocery store or picked Riley from school people stared at her, their eyes stopping at her midsection. Everyone knew that she came back home to her parents pregnant and unmarried, not even with a boyfriend.

It might be a twenty-first century but in place like Forks her return without a husband and with a proverbial bun in the oven was a local sensation. Sometimes she wondered whether her parents were ashamed of her or at least disappointed with her. If they were, they had never showed it to her. They were really supportive, ever cheering her up on bad days.

Despite the stress of the last months she felt well, and according to her doctor, the baby was healthy, developing as it should. She had sold jewelry Edward had gifted her to be able to afford the best obstetrician in Port Angeles. When her father had offered to pay the bills she had told him that she had some money left from selling her apartment. He would hate the idea that she was paying with the money which had come from Edward.

Bella had little news from Seattle, she talked with Angela once a week or so, but mostly about the hospital. She had exchanged a few emails with Rosalie who wrote to her about the progress of her pregnancy, discussed decorating nursery and shopping for the baby. Rose was having a girl. Bella wanted to share her own experience but of course she couldn't. She felt as if she'd been lying to her friend by omitting the truth. Rosalie mentioned as well that Edward wasn't dating anyone, and that the woman who had been with him at the wedding was just someone he invited not to go alone. Moreover, she alluded that Edward, being aware that Bella could make her appearance at the wedding, wanted to show that he was doing just fine without her, perhaps even make her jealous.

Bella had to admit that this little snippet from Rosalie email warmed her heart and brightened her day. It was nice to hear that Edward hadn't forgotten about her so easily.

Time was passing quickly and before she knew it, she had her twenty week check up, learning that she was having a boy. Another argument to keep the baby away from Edward.

Her days were long, with too much time on her hands, rather drastic change from her busy life in Seattle. Renee was telling her that she should appreciate the idleness because in a few months, with a newborn to take care of, she would have no time not only to sleep but to brush her hair and take a pee.

It was one dreary, grey Saturday afternoon in February. Bella was preparing early dinner for her father and Riley who were to return from the fishing trip any moment. Bella would never understand why Charlie and Riley considered it a fun idea to sit in a small boat for hours trying to catch some fish, especially on a day like this when it was cold and wet. Renee was visiting her high-school friend in Port Angeles, and she should be back within an hour or two.

Bella was chopping the vegetables for the soup when she heard a doorbell. At first she thought that she'd just overheard it. They had very few guests. But within the seconds the ringing repeated, intensified and impatient. Perhaps it was a delivery? Renee mentioned ordering some books, but it was unusual that someone would deliver them on Saturday, not in Forks.

"I'm coming," she cried, hurrying to the door.

She opened the front door not checking who it was. She was about to greet the impatient person, but the words died in her mouth when she saw tall man, dressed entirely in black, his red hair the only flash of color against the grey background behind him.

Her eyes followed his – he wasn't looking at her face, his gaze was trained on her midsection. She was wearing an oversized, navy blue cardigan, and if someone didn't know that she was pregnant, her condition shouldn't be noticeable. But judging by Edward's expression he already knew about the baby, and that was the reason he was here.

He moved forward. She let him in. Within seconds he had her pressed against the wall, unbuttoning her cardigan, revealing the white t-shirt she had underneath. It was one of her old t-shirts, now much too small, stretching over her six month pregnant belly.

He put both of his hands on her tummy, touching gently, probing it. Then he stepped back.

"You have five minutes to pack one bag," he said quietly.

"Edward," she started but he raised his hand, silencing her. "Five minutes. Go pack your things or you'll go with me as you stand."

"Where do you want to go?"she asked fearfully. He looked so mad.

He was staring her down, breathing heavily. His fists were clenched and he looked as if he was about to explode any moment, the vein coming on his forehead, but he said nothing. He took her pea coat from a wall hanger, throwing it on her. Then he picked her black hobo bag from the bench near the door.

He took her hand and started walking, pulling her with her. "Wait!" she cried. "Let me put on my shoes. It's wet and I'm only wearing my slippers."

He waited till she pulled on her rain boots before dragging her to the awaiting car.

She tried to stop him, halting behind. "Edward, wait! Where are we going?"

He didn't listen to her. When she refused to walk he simply scooped her in his arms and carried her to the car, sitting her in the back.

He took a seat next to her, ordering the driver to go.

They were driving fast and soon they were outside of Forks on the road to Seattle.

"Edward," she started again, pleadingly, hoping that she would tell her something, anything. She was not a bit terrified of what he wanted to do.

A ringtone of her phone was coming from her bag, but before she could reach for it, Edward was fishing it out.

He checked the caller first, before accepting the call. "Yes," he said calmly, then listened for a moment to the other person speaking. "Who's this? That's Edward Cullen, Chief Swan, the father of your grandchild." Charlie must have said something but Edward interrupted him quickly. "No, she's with me, and from now on she'll be staying with me. And if you want to see her and your grandchild ever again you will stay quiet, waiting for me to contact you if I ever decide to overlook the fact that you tried to hide my child from me." Having said that he disconnected the call, turning off her phone entirely.

"Why didn't you let me speak to him?" she asked. "He must be so worried."

"Don't," he said, freezing her with his gaze. "Don't talk to me now. I'm too fucking angry with you.'

Defeated, she buttoned her cardigan, and adjusted her coat. Curled in the corner by the window, she stared at the passing scenery.

_ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

"I need to use the toilet," Bella said, interrupting the silence. It'd been half an hour since they'd left Forks.

Edward graced her with his attention. "The next gas station should be in some fifteen to twenty minutes."

"I need to go now," she whined. "The baby is pressing on my bladder."

"There should be a path in the forest in a few miles, boss." Cesare noted, staring at the GPS.

Edward nodded. "Let's stop there."

A minute later a car turned in the side road cut between the trees. It must be the beginning of some trail. Bella reached to open the door on her side, but before she managed to put her feet on the wet ground, Edward was by her side helping her out.

"I'm fine, don't need help," she grunted, but he didn't listen to her, steadying her, holding on her arm as she got out.

Bella walked a few yards, looking around for some quiet corner to do her business, some convenient bush, but there was nothing like that just tall trees, not even a fallen tree trunk nearby. She hated to pee outdoors. She was always afraid that some bug would bite her or get into places it should not.

"Oh for Christ sake's, just do it," Edward murmured impatiently, turning with her back to her. Cesare was standing by the car, his face was focused on the road.

Blushing to the roots of her hair, and totally humiliated, she pulled her sweats down, and plopped on the ground. Never in her life peeing had seemed to take so long, it felt like hours, not just a short moment.

"Are you done?"

"Yes," she replied pulling her pants up.

He turned to face her, staring at her.

She adjusted her clothes self consciously and marched back to the car.

Within minute they were back on the road. "We're going to Seattle?" she wanted to know.

"Yes." That was all the answer she got.

Despite the tension in the car, and the great unknown that her future life had just become, Bella began to feel drowsy, her eyes closing on their own. She tried to fight it and stay alert but it was a lost battle. Nowadays she could fall asleep at the drop of a hat, on the condition that she was sitting. She found the most comfortable position in her corner by the window, knowing that any moment she would be gone out like a light.

When she woke up, her head was placed against something solid. She realized that her head was nestled on Edward's lap, his arm draped over her, her coat and cardigan opened, his palm resting on her bulging stomach. How had she ended up like that?

She raised on her elbow, rubbing her eyes, and yawing.

"You snore," Edward said.

"I do not," she denied with dignity, sitting up, putting some distance between them. Her mother had told her that she started to snore about month ago. Was it because of pregnancy? In the past she'd talked in sleep, but never snored.

A take out bag was placed on her lap.

"Eat," he said. "Your stomach growled like a cannonball while you slept."

She blushed, embarrassed by his remarks. He could have been more delicate. She could hardly control her body reactions when she was asleep.

Her mouth watered as she opened the bag. Her favorite sandwiches –brown bread tuna, celery, pickle, mayonnaise, slice of cheese and some herbs. She attacked the food, taking huge bites. She felt Edward's eyes on her but she ignored him.

Only on the third sandwich she slowed down, her hunger temporarily satisfied.

She stared out of the window, chewing slowly. "Where are we?" she asked. She glanced at her watch. They should be already in Seattle, and even though they seemed to be on the Interstate 5, they were going in wrong direction.

"Where are we going?" she demanded when Edward didn't replied immediately. "You said we were going to Seattle."

"Sea-Tac."

"The airport? Why?"

"You'll see."

She packed the rest of the uneaten sandwich back into a paperback. "You can't just take me wherever you want," she told him. "You have to tell me where we are going."

"Do I really?" he asked. "Like you told me that I was to become a father," her reminded her coldly.

"I had my reasons," she defended. "I was protecting my baby."

He looked her straight in the face, his expression tense and furious again. "From me?"

"You know very well why, don't pretend to be an innocent victim here," she cried.

Edward didn't answer. He shifted away from her. So very mature of him.

Half an hour later they were pulling up to the area that looked like a private part of the airport.

They got out of the car, Edward taking a firm hold of her hand.

"Whose plane is that?" she asked as they neared the white and blue jet.

Edward kept walking. "My father bought it a few years ago," he explained.

Bella tugged at his hand, using all the strength she had, refusing to go any farther. "I won't go until you tell me where we're going."

He stepped closer to her. "To Neveda."

"Nevada? Why?"

"I have business meetings there to attend this weekend. I'm already late, I was supposed to be there early afternoon, but my plans changed when this morning I received a report on you."

"What kind of report?" she asked, alarmed.

"Come, we'll talk inside." He began walking again, tugging her with him. "It's cold and raining again, and they're waiting for us."

As she got on the plane Bella marveled how spacious it was from inside. Everything was kept in light, cream colors. There were comfortable looking leather chairs like in a business class on one side, and a long sofa with many cushions on the other.

Edward sat her in one of the chairs, carefully strapping her seatbelt on, mindful not press it against her belly.

They took off within minutes.

Bella unbuckled herself. "I need to go to the bathroom," she said.

A very nice looking stewardess, who introduced herself as Olga, showed her to a toilet, small but still twice as big as the usual plane restrooms.

When she returned to her seat, Edward was reading through some papers, his reading glasses on.

"You were spying on me?" she asked.

He looked up at her. "I know that you consider me a monster without heart or any values, but I was actually worried about you when you left me. Many people knew how serious I was about you. There was a possibility that someone might want to hurt you to get to me. I kept tabs on you to prevent it."

"You have me followed," she clarified.

"Until you stayed in Seattle Cesare had an eye on you. When you moved to Forks I made sure that one of our men travelled there once a week to check on you. The fucking idiot who was supposed to do the job noticed only yesterday after a few months of supposedly watching you that you look as if you were pregnant. When he told me that this morning everything just clicked in place. I was so stupid, I should have figured it much earlier, the latest at Emmett's wedding. You looked so different there. Then comes your very strange behavior, the fact that you so suddenly decided to quit your job at Harborview even though you obviously loved it. Then selling your apartment at the lowest price possible, and moving back to Forks. You told Rosalie that you were about to start a great job in Port Angeles, but weeks and weeks passed and you didn't. But what really made me thinking was the fact that you sold the jewelry I gave you."

Her eyes widened. "You know about it?"

He raised his bushy eyebrows. "You really thought that I wouldn't learn about it? That was very odd behavior for you, because you never cared about money, fought me tooth and nail every time I wanted to buy you something. My first thought was that someone from your family needed that money, Riley or your mother, that someone was sick."

"I needed the money to pay for the obstetrician."

His fist hit the small table which stood between them, startling her. "Didn't you think to come with this to me?" he shouted. "I would be more than happy to cover the medical bills of my child," he added, his voice much calmer.

"I thought that you forgot about me," she murmured, lowering her eyes. She had every right to come to such conclusion after seeing him with that woman at Rosalie's wedding.

"You've always been naïve," he told her, contempt in his voice.

"I was protecting my son," she said proudly. "I would have done it again. I had to try."

His breath caught sharply. "It's a boy?"

She nodded.

"So you decided that growing without a father would be good for him?" he asked after a moment.

Bella looked into his eyes. "I wanted him to have a normal life, I wanted him go to college, and have an ordinary job as an accountant, doctor, teacher… I don't know carpenter, lawyer, manager, anything but legal and safe."

"And it didn't occur to you that I would want the same for my child?" he sounded hurt.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Who's naïve here?"

He broke eye contact with her, putting back his reading glasses. "If you're hungry, call Olga," he murmured. "She'll prepare anything you want."

They didn't talk more. He ignored her till the end of the flight.

_ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

Once they landed the car was already waiting for them. It was dark and pretty late, a few minutes past eleven. It was very warm too, especially in comparison to Washington. Bella had to shed her coat and cardigan and she was already sweating in her sweats, thick, knitted sock, and rain boots.

"Las Vegas?" Bella asked Edward, as they drove through brightly illuminated, wide streets.

He shrugged. "It's Nevada. There's not much more here."

They stopped in front of impressive looking hotel, resembling overblown 17th century French castle with colorful fountains in front of it.

Edward took her hand, leading her to the front entrance. She noticed that there was much more security around them than before.

Bella expected that they would go straight to the elevators, to the suit that Edward booked, owned, or whatever. On the second thought he probably owned the entire hotel, or Carlisle did.

She was dead tired. All she wanted was to take a bath, and go to bed. Hopefully forgetting about that horrible day for a few hours of sleep.

She wasn't really looking where Edward was guiding her, but they were still on the ground floor of this huge hotel, passing some restaurants, shops and casinos on their way. Despite the late hour the place was heavily crowded.

Finally they entered some room and only then she realized that it was a wedding chapel. Then it hit her. He wanted to marry her. Now and here. This whole business in Nevada was just a bullshit to get her on the plane, to distract her attention.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head, freeing her hand from his hold. "No," she said louder. "You can't make me!"

She ran to the door, but they were closed.

He extended his hand to her. "Bella, calm down."

She kept shaking her head. "You can't make me, you can't!"

Edward glanced at the men around them. "Leave us alone," he said.

When they were just two of them in the room, he took her by her arms and sat her down.

"What else did you imagine?" he asked her, his voice matter of fact.

"I'm not marrying you," she told him. "You can't make me. It's a free country, you can't make me."

He stroked her cheek. "It makes sense. I don't want my son to be born a bastard. We're having a baby together. I know that things are not perfect between us now but we'll get by somehow. Do you know how many marriages start like that? Just because of accidental pregnancy."

"It wasn't accidental, there was nothing accidental about it," she spat at him. "You planned it from the very beginning."

He touched her stomach. "Does it matter now?"

She looked at him. "I will return with you to Seattle. I won't run again. I swear I won't run, I swear on my child's health and wellbeing." She covered his hand with hers. "On my brother's wellbeing, on my parents... on everything. You can settle me in some apartment, and you can see the baby whenever you want. We'll discuss the visitation rights. You can take him when I'm working. There will be your name on the birth certificate, I promise."

He stared at her for a longer moment as if she was deluded. "Visitation rights?" he asked calmly, but there was undercurrent of fury in his voice. "What the fuck are you talking about? He's going to have a mother and father living together, married. And you my dear will keep your ass at home taking care of him and all his future siblings. Your professional training will come handy when dealing with feverish toddlers, stomach bugs and scraped knees."

She hold his gaze boldly. "You can't make me marry you," she repeated.

He leaned down to her, his face just inches from hers. "Let's put it this way. You marry me now, or once he's born, I'm taking him away from you. You'll never see him again."

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't do it." He was just saying that to threaten her. He wouldn't do it. He couldn't force her into marriage.

"Wouldn't I? Are you entirely sure? No doubts? After what I did to those girls from Bulgaria? You read the article. I'm sure that you remembered every single detail. Your father made sure of it."

She shook her head. "You wouldn't do it. You only want to threaten me. You're only saying that to make me marry you."

"And what guarantee do you have that I'm bluffing?"

That was true, she had none. She really didn't know the extent of what he was capable of. What was that her mother said to her? She had to make sure that her child would have as normal life as possible taking into the consideration who its father was. She had to stay with her baby, she had to fight for him, for his future, make sure that he would have a chance for normal life, not like his father. What would become of him if he was raised only by the Cullens? She couldn't risk separating from her baby. She would die. And how her son would feel one day knowing that his mother had abandoned him?

She nodded her head slightly.

Edward squeezed her shoulder. "I knew that you were sensible."

The people were back in the room, but Bella didn't look at any of them.

Edward led her to the front, to a man who was to marry them. They took her bag, taking out her wallet, probably to check her id. Did she look underage? Doubtful. She felt like in a dream. Soon, Edward was nudging her to repeat after the man. She signed something, and had glittering ring and a wedding band on her finger.

"Come," she heard Edward's voice above her ear. "You're sleeping standing."

He carried her to the elevator. He thought that she was asleep but she wasn't. She just wanted to cut herself off from reality, pretend that it wasn't happening to her. She opened her eyes only when he placed her on the bed.

"You're hungry?" he asked, sitting by her side.

She shook her head.

"It's two in the morning, you should rest, it's been a long day for you."

She sat up. "I feel sticky. I'm feeling so hot in these clothes."

He pushed back hair from her face. "There are some nightclothes and toiletries for you in the bathroom. The hotel's boutique will send more tomorrow. I'll start a bath for you. Ok?"

She followed him to the spacious bathroom, watching as the water filled the enormous rectangular bathtub, Edward adding some salts, making lots of foam.

He looked at her, pointing to elegant bags sitting on the counter. "Here are the nightclothes for you."

She stared at the bags.

"Do you need any help?" he asked, sounding eager.

She shook her head.

"I'll leave you alone now. Shout if you need anything."

He pressed a kiss on her forehead, and he was gone.

She breathed in relief. Alone at last.

_Thank you for reading!_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**EdwardsFirstKiss kindly edited this chapter. Thank you!**

The voice sounded exactly like Edward's. The deep baritone was so characteristic that it was impossible to mistake it for anyone else's. But it could not be true, and she must be dreaming. Edward was in Seattle. She was in Forks. She had left him.

She opened her eyes, blinking, her vision adjusting slowly. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, feeling something hard scraping against her cheek. Was that a ring?

"Bella," his voice repeated, a warm hand touching her shoulder.

With a startled gasp, she sat up. Edward was perched on the bed beside her. She looked around the spacious, lavishly decorated room. She glanced down at her hand at the wedding rings. She remembered everything. She was married to Edward Cullen.

Her _husband_ leaned closer, nuzzling her temple, and then kissing her neck. "Sorry for disturbing your rest but I didn't want you to wake up all alone here," he said, trying to meet her gaze. "I have to go; I have meetings all day long."

She pushed away from him, her expression hostile.

He sighed, reaching for her but dropping his hand before touching her. "How are you feeling?"

Edward waited for her to answer him. After a while, he sighed in resignation. "I am sorry that I cannot keep your company. I will be back later in the afternoon. You can do whatever you want. Buy some clothes first. We're going to stay here for a few days, and you can't run around in rain boots and sweats. I'm leaving some cash on the coffee table, if it's not enough, Cesare will pay. It will take time to have your credit cards issued. If you want to shop in one of the hotel boutiques, just tell them to put your purchases in my name. Ok?"

His expression was happy and sad at the same time, but also hopeful. "I'll try to be back as soon as possible. Your phone is charging. You can call your family and friends."

He waited for a moment, clearly expecting that she would say something. When she didn't, he kissed her forehead, his hand going to her midsection. He bent down his head low, kissing the top of her belly.

"Have a good day, both of you," he said, collecting his jacket and briefcase.

As soon as he was gone, she dropped back on the pillows, curling into a ball. She glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. It was 8 o'clock. She had barely slept five hours. She still felt tired.

What had he said about her phone? He had taken away her phone yesterday. Her parents must be worried not being able to contact her.

She got up from the bed, wincing at the sharp pain in her back. Messaging her lower back, she wandered around the spacious suite, trying to locate her phone. She found it charging near the entertainment center.

Choosing her mother's name, she sat down on the couch, waiting impatiently to hear her voice.

"Bella, is that you?" Renee cried.

"Yes, Mum," she replied, hoping to sound calm and confident.

"Oh, baby girl, it's so good that you're calling! We were worried."

"I'm fine mum. I'm well, safe and sound," she assured her.

There was some commotion on the other end, and she heard her father's voice in the background. "She's fine Charlie." Her father said that he wanted to speak to her. "No, Charlie, I need to speak with her first, she needs her mother now. Get Riley up and start on breakfast."

Charlie answered something, but it was blurred, and Bella couldn't make out what he has said.

"Now, we can talk," Renee returned to her.

"Is Dad all right?" Bella asked.

"He was worried about you, but now that you have called, he'll calm down. Tell me what's going on, where are you?"

"Oh, Mum," Bella moaned.

"That bad?" Renee guessed. "You aren't hurt, are you? What about my grandbaby?" There was growing panic in her mother's voice.

"No, it's nothing like that. I'm fine, and the baby is too," she paused. "But you won't believe what happened. I can hardly believe it myself."

"Tell me everything from the beginning. Tell me from the moment he showed up at our home yesterday afternoon."

Bella told her everything that had happened. Renee listened attentively, without interruptions. She was even quiet when Bella finished.

"Well?" Bella asked, eager for some reaction. "What do you think? What should I do?"

"I think that you have to stay put for a while to learn what your options are," her mother said at last. "Don't argue with him too much for the time being."

That was not the advice Bella had expected. "I don't understand. You want me to pretend to be a perfect wife for him?"

"No, not at all. Let him know how badly he acted, but don't try to escape from him, allow him to take care of you if that's so important for him."

"Mum, that's no solution. How can I live with him after what he did?"

"My view is that there are two possibilities, either he has a multiple personality disorder or he loves you like crazy but doesn't know how to show it without being controlling and threatening."

Bella hesitated. "I don't know. Perhaps you're right about him having a double personality," she mused. "Yesterday he threatened to take the baby from me, and this morning he acts like a concerned father and husband."

"You have to be smart, Bella. You have to wait; you won't escape him now. Make him work for it, hard, but at the same time go along with the marriage, at least as I said for the time being."

"Easy to say, Mum, much harder to do."

Renee sighed. "I wish I had met him. It would be easier for me to help you, advise you," she paused. "Convince him to let you invite us to Seattle, not your father of course, just me and Riley. He won't refuse you that. He likes Riley. I'd like to see how he behaves around you, how's he looks at you.

"

"Looks at me?"

"Yes, looks at you. Don't get offended, honey, but you can be very oblivious sometimes, especially when it comes to men."

"I'll try, once we're in Seattle, I'll tell him I want to see you and Riley."

"Good. And now you have to cheer up."

"Mum, how can I cheer up in my situation?"

"I agree that it doesn't look great, but let's think about the good things, ok. You and your baby are healthy and well, and safe too. He won't mistreat you worse than he did yesterday."

"How do you know?"

"Because, he would have done it already. I think he wants to feel your acceptance and your love. He craves it. He will do a lot to have it, to have a loving, attentive wife by his side. Use it against him if you have to. If you're smart about it, you can have him wrapped around your little finger, guessing your every wish."

"I guess," Bella said, not entirely convinced.

"You have power over him, Bella. You're carrying his son. It's high time to realize and use it. I believe that you can change him for the better."

"You think?"

"Yes, I do think that. Now, you said that he left you money."

"He did," she confirmed, looking at the small pile of cash sitting neatly on the coffee table.

"You are in Las Vegas, make the best of it. I checked your closet; it looks like he took you as you stood. If you are staying there for a few days, you can't wear winter clothes and heavy boots. Buy yourself a few nice dresses, go to the beauty salon, do your hair, nails and makeup."

"I don't feel up to it," she whined.

"Bella, if you look better, you will feel better."

"I don't want to spend his money."

"Oh, good lord give me patience with this girl," Renee growled. "You're his wife, and he made you pregnant, it's his damn responsibility. And I think that he understands that. Promise me that you will eat breakfast, and later you'll go out and have some fun."

"I don't know, Mum. I feel exhausted. It was after midnight when we got here and closer to three in the morning when I fell asleep."

"I see. You should rest today. Have a good meal then have a nap. Yesterday was stressful for you to say the least. Remember that my grandson is your priority."

"I do remember."

"Good, listen honey; I can hear your father on the stairs. I'll tell him everything. Call me later, ok?"

"I will, and thank you for everything."

"Anytime, baby girl."

"I love you."

"Love you too," Renee said, ending the call first.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella followed her mother's advice. She ordered breakfast for herself which was delicious. When she opened the door to admit room service, she saw Cesare in the corridor. She imagined that Edward had ordered him to guard the door. Poor man, what a boring job. Edward could not think that she would try to escape him now. She had nowhere to go. No one to help or hide her. Her husband would find her.

Her back pain lessened but it was still present. It was not accompanied by contractions, however. It had to be the result of the recent stress.

There were many channels on TV, but she was too sleepy to concentrate on anything. She fell into a deep sleep after lunch, curled up on the overstuffed sofa in the reception area of the huge suite.

When she woke up, her eyes rested on Edward, who sat on the opposite sofa with a laptop. He closed it as soon as he felt her eyes on him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Bella sat up, yawning in her hand. She wondered what time it was.

Reaching for her phone, she saw that it was after five. She had been asleep for more than three hours and she definitely needed to use the bathroom.

She placed her bare feet on the carpet, re-tying the silk robe which she had been wearing since last night. She felt much better than this morning, and her back pain seemed to be gone for now.

"Where are you going?" he asked as she walked past him.

"Nowhere," she murmured rudely. She took her time in the bathroom, brushing her teeth and hair. When she returned to the living room, she found him sitting on the couch, in the exact spot she had previously occupied. He was nervously running his hand through his wild hair. It made her wonder if their child would be ginger like his father.

She made her way to him, standing close. He looked up.

"Are you hungry?"

She nodded.

"Shall we order in dinner? What do you have a taste for?"

"Macaroni and cheese."

"Macaroni and cheese," he repeated, reaching for the phone.

She sat down next to him. As they waited for room service to bring their dinner, Bella reached for the remote control flipping through the channels, just to occupy her with something.

She stilled when she felt Edward's hand on her bump.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked. "How's my son?"

"We're fine," she replied staring at the TV.

His hand moved over the expense of her belly, feeling it. "Is he kicking? Can you feel him?"

She looked down at her tummy. "Yes, for a few weeks now, at first, it was just flutterings, but now it's like … I don't know tapping."

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

His hand pressed with more force against her belly. "Do you think that I can feel him?"

"I don't know. I don't think that he's strong enough. Not yet."

Edward bent his head down, putting his ear to the top of her stomach.

She had a sudden urge to tug at his hair, but she fought it.

"Is he healthy?" he asked suddenly, looking up at her. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine," she assured him.

His arm went behind her, resting on the backrest of the couch while his right hand stayed on her stomach, stroking it. "As soon as we're back in Seattle we'll make an appointment with Rosalie's doctor. Emmett says she's a very good obstetrician."

Edward supported his head against hers. "I'm so happy that you're here." His hot lips traced down from her temple to her neck. "I missed you."

She stiffened, pulling away from him. He sounded so vulnerable, but she couldn't just give it to him so easily. "Edward, don't… just don't. A few sweet words won't change what happened," she told him.

Room service rescued her from the awkwardness of the moment. They ate in silence. Edward seemed distracted and lost in his thoughts. After dinner, she took a shower.

Dressed in the same nightgown, the only one she had, she returned to the bedroom. Edward was already in bed, propped against the pillows, clearly waiting for her.

"I would prefer for you to take the couch," she said, not looking at him.

"I want to be close to you in case you needed something."

"Right," Bella snorted, getting in the bed.

"You're tired?" he asked as she laid down with her back to him, drawing the sheet over herself past her arms. She always liked to be well covered when she slept.

"I always feel tired these days."

Last night he had left her alone, but if he was stupid enough to think that they would have sex tonight or anytime soon…well he could think twice.

He reached to the foot of the bed for a blanket, covering her with it.

She was on the verge of sleep when she heard. "Did you call anyone today? Your family?"

"Yes, I talked to my mum, and later Angela," she replied softly, her eyes closed.

She felt his hand on her cheek which made her open her eyes.

"You did? And what… what did you talk about?"

She shrugged. "Nothing special. Girl talk."

"Good, that's good," he said. "You did not go out to shop."

"I was tired and my back hurt."

"Your back hurt? Why didn't you call me? You should have called the doctor."

"The doctor? Are you serious?" she lashed out, turning her head to look at him. "Back pain is perfectly normal in the later stages of pregnancy, especially after all the stress I had yesterday. It is gone now. I just needed to rest."

"I shall have some things sent to you tomorrow from the hotel's boutiques. You cannot live in this one nightdress."

He was nervous and apprehensive. Perhaps her mother was right? Could she manipulate him? Did she really have power over him?

She turned on her back, not enough to touch him, but close enough to feel his warmth and scent. "My mum wants to meet you," she said.

"She does?"

"She wants to visit us some weekend, together with Riley."

"Of course, of course, they're welcome, anytime," he assured her. "I want to meet your mother too. But first, we'll have to find a house. There's no spare bedroom in my loft. Once we back in Seattle, I will put our real estate agency to work. I'm sure that they can manage to find something suitable out of town within a short time. We have to hurry after all. The baby won't wait." His hand went to her midsection again, a wide grin stretching his handsome face.

"Out of town?" she asked alarmed.

"Yes, I thought something close to my parents so they could babysit, with a large yard for the baby to play in, lots of fresh air."

Bella tried to keep her expression neutral. The last thing she wanted was to move out of town, especially if it meant living close to the Cullens. She didn't mind Esme, but Carlisle gave her the creeps. She didn't want her son anywhere near him. And she didn't like the idea of being cut off from the world in a gated property, not seeing anyone but bodyguards all day long.

"I would prefer something in the city, an apartment or a townhouse," she admitted.

He frowned. "But you said yourself once that your dream was a house with a yard."

"Townhouses have yards," she pointed out quickly.

"Small ones."

"I don't want to move to the suburbs," she said. "I like living close to shops, cinemas, restaurants and parks." She moved closer, pressing her breasts and tummy into his side. "Angela and Rosalie live in the city. I want to be close to them, especially Rosalie. We have a lot in common; I like her, and she's having baby too."

Edward didn't reply immediately. She could see that he was hesitating, mulling it over.

"You are so busy," she continued. "Let me deal with this. Give me the number to the real estate agent, and I'll look at the options for you. You want a minimum of three bedrooms with an additional room to adapt for your office, right?"

He nodded. "Four would be better. We need room for the baby, a bedroom for us, and I think at least two guest bedrooms."

Lifting on her elbow, she stared intently into his eyes. Leaning slightly forward, she gave him a good view of her ample cleavage spilling from the low-cut nightie; her breasts were at least one size larger due to the pregnancy.

As his eyes stayed glued to her breasts, she prayed dearly that her mother was right and that she wasn't making a complete idiot out of herself.

"Well?" She touched his arm. "Can I take care of this?"

He swallowed, at last tearing his gaze from her chest to look into her eyes. "I'll have the real estate agent call you as soon as when we return to Seattle."

"Good," she said, smiling slightly, even though she wanted to whoop for joy.

His arm went around her, and he pressed his body against her. But Bella put a hand on his chest, stopping him. "I need to pee."

He supported his forehead against hers, murmuring. "Again?"

She slipped from his embrace, as he rolled on his back with his eyes closed, an arm thrown over his face. Certain that he wasn't looking at her, she grabbed her phone from her bag and walked into the bathroom with it.

Excited, she picked her mother's number, sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

"Bella?" Renee answered on the third ring.

"Yes, it's me, Mum."

"Everything's ok?" There was worry in Renee's tone. "I've been waiting for you to call."

"I'm fine," she paused, eager to share her discovery. "And you were right."

"I was?" Renee gushed.

"Yes, Mum, it's working. It really is, just like you said."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Bella poked her head into the bedroom. Edward was still sleeping. It was almost nine o'clock. Should she wake him? Didn't he have something to do today, some work? Let him sleep. He had had a couple of very exhausting days.

She stepped back to the kitchen area. The enormous fridge was empty. There was only beer, wine, and a bottle vodka. And she was starving.

They had landed in Seattle yesterday, late in the evening. Edward hadn't even taken a shower; he'd just brushed his teeth and gone straight to bed, snoring lightly from the moment his head touched the pillow. She wasn't surprised that he was so tired. For the last three days, he had had meetings from nine in the morning until 10 pm. He'd never told her what they concerned, and she hadn't asked. But perhaps she should have.

Her stomach growled, and the baby kicked. It was a pretty strong push. "You're hungry too, huh?" She touched her bump.

She didn't know this neighborhood well enough to know where the nearest grocery store was. But if she had a car, she could go to the store that she, usually, shopped at, near her old apartment in First Hill. But her car was in Forks.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of car keys lying on the counter next to the black wallet and Blackberry. Would Edward mind? No, he shouldn't. He never refused to share his things with her.

She grabbed the keys, threw on her coat and put on her rain boots. Edward's car was parked right in front of the building; his loft had been converted from an old factory, so there was no underground garage.

No one stopped her as she left the apartment and took the elevator downstairs. Where were the bodyguards? Having a day off?

She got into the black BMW. As she was pulling away, a sudden thought struck her that she could give it a shot and try to run away. She had a car and some money, not much, but enough to survive a few weeks. But she had no reasonable plan where she could go. She was having a baby in a few months, and her son would need a safe environment, not a shelter. Forks was out of the question. It would be the first place where Edward would look for her.

Did she really want to escape? Did she have any chance? Edward would find her. It would just be a matter of time. She was beginning to accept the fact that she was tied to him. She couldn't escape. Did she really want to? Despite everything, she had missed him when they had broken up, for those five months that they had been away from each other.

He had been a saint for the last couple of days, but she didn't forget how aggressive and temperamental he could be when something was not going according to his plans. She noticed however that it was very difficult for him to refuse her something when she asked him nicely and calmly. Her mother was right about that. The only times when he went absolutely crazy was when she talked about leaving him or putting a separation between them. Then, he could not act rational.

Bella spent an hour in the grocery store. It was like a day taken from her old life. She was so relieved that Edward had abandoned the idea of moving to the suburbs. She couldn't imagine herself there, closed up in a residential area. She would suffocate. She loved living among people.

One of the workers helped her carry the bags to the car. Driving back, she devoured the entire bar of chocolate. She was nearing Edward's building when she saw familiar silhouettes of bodyguards in front of the entrance. They looked as if they were searching for something or someone. But not her. If Edward had wanted to contact her, he would have called her, and he hadn't. Her cell was quiet in her bag for the entire time she'd been away.

She was parking the car when she saw Edward running out of the building, only in his jeans and a t-shirt despite the chilly day, his hair wild.

Before she could get out of the car, her door was torn open. "Where the fuck have you been?" he roared.

She stared at him, her eyes wide. What was his problem? He pulled her out of the car by her arm.

"Don't swear at me," she told him, squaring her shoulders. Her voice shook. Why was he yelling at her? Oh, crap, she thought, feeling the familiar tightening in her throat. Damn hormones. She wouldn't cry; she wouldn't give him this satisfaction.

"Where have you been?" he seethed, his eyes blazing.

"Grocery store," she said, swallowing her tears. "You only had alcohol in the fridge and I was starving."

He was still breathing harshly, but she could see that he was gradually calming down. "Why didn't you take your phone?"

She blinked at him. "I didn't?"

He fished her phone from the back pocket of his jeans. "No, you didn't. You left it on the bedside table."

She frowned, taking her phone from his hand. "I was sure that I had it. I was even surprised that you didn't call me, but I thought that you were still sleeping. You were so tired yesterday."

"Christ," he breathed, bending down, his hands supported on his knees.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked, looking up at her.

"You seemed exhausted; I didn't want to disturb your rest."

He laughed nervously, straightening up. "Next time, disturb me, no matter what, ok?"

She nodded.

He pulled her roughly into his arms. "I was so worried. Don't ever do that to me again," he murmured, kissing her ear and neck. "Can you imagine how fucking worried I was when I woke up, and you were gone?

Then when I discovered that you took the car…"

"Well, I couldn't go on foot," she said, getting irritated, pulling away from him to look into his face. "It's just a car. I didn't think you would mind. I didn't scratch it or anything like that."

"It's not about the fucking car," he growled. "How did you get out in the first place?"

"What do you mean?"

For a moment, he looked at her as if he was about to tear her to pieces.

"I'm asking how you got out of the building."

"I didn't fly out. I took the elevator and then walked out. The BMW was parked in front of the entrance. I got in and drove to my favorite store to buy food."

A dark shadow crossed his face; he was getting angry again. "You mean nobody stopped you?"

"And how do you imagine that? I'm 5'2 and six months pregnant, do you think that it would be hard to stop me? No, no one stopped me. I was even surprised that there were no bodyguards in sight, but I thought that you gave them a day off or something."

"A fucking day off…," he murmured under his breath. "Fuck," he hissed, hitting the roof of BMW with his clenched fist.

She jumped in place, staring at him with wide eyes. She hated when he got like that. It freaked her out.

"Don't do that, please," she said quietly. "You're scaring me." He'd never hit her, just the objects around her, but she had a baby inside of her to protect, she couldn't take the risk.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his body visibly relaxing. "It's not your fault. I just panicked when I woke up, and you were gone."

Of course, he'd thought that she'd used to the first chance she had to run away from him.

"And when I realized that you took the car…" he paused, running his hand through his hair. "I just lost it."

"Next time, I'll leave a note on the fridge, and try to remember about taking my phone with me."

He touched her cheek, catching her gaze. "Please, do."

"Will you help me with the groceries?" she asked, stepping to open the trunk, hoping to distract him and change the topic. "They are heavy."

Edward called two of the bodyguards, telling them to carry the food upstairs.

"I'll be right back," he said, hugging her shortly, kissing her forehead. "I just need to deal with something first."

"Ok." She nodded. She glanced over at Cesare. The man looked scared. Security must have screwed up big time. She could bet that Edward had ordered them to have an eye on her 24/7, and here she managed to walk out undetected and take the boss' car. She wouldn't want to be in their shoes now.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"What do you want for breakfast?" Bella asked as Edward entered the apartment. She eyed him carefully. He still looked pissed off.

He dropped onto a chair at the kitchen table. "The same as you," he distractedly answered.

Bella returned to her work, slicing the bacon into thin strips, but kept glancing at him from time to time. She threw the bacon in a hot pan and reached for the dozen eggs. Between Edward and her that should be just enough.

"Do you want coffee?" she asked. Why wasn't he speaking? Was he still mad at her?

"I'll make it," he said, stepping to the coffee maker. It was one of those Italian ones. Bella had no idea how to operate it.

The eggs were frying when her cell phone rang. She took it out of her pocket to see that it was Renee.

"Hi, Mum," she cheered in a bright voice.

"Are you all right?" Renee cried.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Renee breathed in relief. "Edward called me about an hour ago. He said that you had disappeared."

"I just went grocery shopping and forgot my phone."

"That's good to hear. He had me worried. He thought that you were with us. He had me swear on the health of my grandbaby that you weren't with us."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yes, because I have nothing better to do than wake up in the middle of the night, and drive to Forks, so he could come after me and bring me back, probably by my hair." Saying that, she glanced at Edward from the corner of her eye. His cheeks were flushed, and he tried to look innocent.

"Bella, baby. I have to go. I'm at work."

"Sure, Mum, I'll call you in the evening, ok?"

"Ok baby, bye."

"Bye, and sorry for interrupting you."

"That's ok; I'm happy that you're all right," her mother said, ending the call.

She was about to put her phone back into the pocket of her sweater, when she saw that she had missed phone calls from both Angela and Rose.

"Who else did you call besides my mother?" she asked, putting a plate with eggs and bacon in front of him.

He shrugged. "I thought that you decided to visit one of your friends."

They ate in silence. She needed to call Angela and Rosalie. She suspected that Edward had scared them even more than Renee. But first she needed to have food. She was famished.

_Thank you for reading, commenting and putting on alert/ favourite lists._


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for betaing this chapter!**

"Leave that," Edward said.

Bella ignored him, scrubbing the cooktop with a vengeance.

He walked closer, standing right next to her. "I'll do it."

"Yeah right," she said skeptically not stopping her work.

"The cleaning service is coming tomorrow," he said, trying to stop her hand. "They will deal with it."

"Almost all done," she told him.

He grabbed her by the arms pulling her away from the stove. "Sit down and have a rest. You've been running around like the energizer bunny since early this morning."

She sent him a glare. "I've done nothing else but sit down for the past couple of days in Las Vegas. I've been sitting down for the last three months since I had to quit my job. I'm not used to it."

He walked her to the couch, sitting her down. "Once the baby is born you will have your hands full."

She rolled her eyes. "You talk like my mum. I've worked all my life. It's weird to have nothing to do."

Edward took a place next to her. "You'll have a new house to decorate soon, and the nursery, not to mention all the things you need to buy for our son."

He tried to meet her eyes, but she looked away from him. "Talk to me," he said. "I want this to work between us. Don't close up on me."

She stared at the space in front of herself. "You said that you would take my baby from me," she reminded him coldly.

"I…" he stammered, running his hand through his hair. "I wouldn't have done that. I would have said anything, just to get you to agree to the marriage," his admitted.

He stood up, and began pacing in front of her; his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"Why is that so important for you? The marriage? We could have dealt with this differently …"

She didn't finish because he interrupted her. "No, I told you already, my son will not be born a bastard."

"Times are changing; there's no a shame for a child being born to unwed parents."

"Don't, just don't." He raised his hand, the pulsating vein popping out from his forehead. "Don't think that I have forgotten how you wanted to hide my child from me."

She looked down. "I thought that you had moved on."

"Oh, come on!" he cried. "Don't give me that bullshit. That's no excuse."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know very well that I saw you with that blonde bitch at Rosalie's wedding. Don't act like all innocent now."

His body visibly relaxed, and there was a trace of a smile in his eyes and played on his lips. "Rosalie told me a few days before the wedding that there was a possibility that you might show up. I wanted to make sure that you would see me with someone."

"To make me jealous? " She asked quietly. It was what Rose had suggested in one of her emails.

He shrugged. "Jealous, angry… any type of reaction. I didn't want to look like a pathetic loser with a broken heart in front of all those people and you."

"Did you sleep with her?" She held his gaze, wishing for an honest answer.

"I tried but I wasn't into it… in the end, nothing happened."

Bella closed her eyes, a piercing pain shooting her like an arrow. She wanted to run after that blonde bitch and scratch her eyes out.

He sat down close to her, placing a tender kiss on her temple. "Hey, it was nothing, she meant nothing to me, and after all we were broken up."

"But I didn't jump into the bed with some other guy," she murmured with ill hidden resentment.

"Because you knew that I would kill the bastard," he answered calmly.

She looked him in the eyes. "No, because I wasn't able to do it, we had just separated, I just couldn't. The thought didn't even cross my mind. "

"Good," he told her, arrogance oozing from his voice and expression.

"You're mine; you've always been, and always will be."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Do you even hear yourself? Just because you were my first…"

"Just because what?" he challenged. "I think that it's pretty telling that you waited twenty-five years to do the deed with me."

"Don't flatter yourself," she spat at him. "True, it felt right to do it with you, but that's it. Don't try to add some weird, caveman philosophy to it."

He cupped her cheek. "You belong to me. I don't know why you're so stubborn not to see and accept it."

She shook her head. She had had enough of a conversation with him for today. It was like talking to a wall, anyway. "There's a magazine in my bag. Would you bring it to me?" she asked sweetly, smiling at him.

For a moment, he seemed flabbergasted at the sudden change of the topic. He sighed, rising slowly to his feet. "Sure."

Bella stretched comfortably out on the couch with a magazine that she'd bought at a newsstand near the grocery store. It was nice to take her mind off the heavy stuff for a moment. She enjoyed reading gossip about actors and actresses, and looking at the pictures of them, not so much paparazzi shots, however. She liked to see them dressed beautifully; all dolled up, rather than with unwashed hair, often sweaty, and in gym clothes.

She stared at the photo call pic of Anne Hathaway in a very cute outfit, regretting that she would never look as good as her in something similar, unless she suddenly grew five or six inches. Edward sat on the other end of the couch, without a word lifting her feet on his lap.

She lowered the magazine to look at him as he began to massage her sock clad feet. His fingers felt divine; she couldn't deny it. "You've seen it in a movie?" she asked snidely, her eyes returning to the magazine. "A husband is massaging his pregnant wife's swollen feet; that's a pretty picture."

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "I just noticed that your feet looked as if you had an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Did your doctor in Port Angeles see them?"

She glanced at her feet, kneaded gently by Edward's long fingers. "I had my last appointment over a month ago, at my twenty-week mark. It wasn't as bad back then. I think it's because the baby has grown a lot during the last month. I was barely showing earlier."

"I have the number of Rosalie's doctor," he said. "Emmett said to call her after five. We'll make an appointment as soon as possible."

"You talked with Emmett about me?"

"I had to explain in some way why I needed the number to the best obstetrician in the city."

She closed the magazine. "Your family must hate me."

"Emmett doesn't hate you. He thinks that you have guts."

She swallowed. "Your parents know too, don't they?"

"Yes."

"Well, they must hate me," she murmured. She didn't look forward to facing the Cullen clan again. They had once welcomed her with open arms, but after hiding the pregnancy from Edward, she couldn't count that they would still treat her so kindly.

"Let's just say that they are relieved that the matter has been resolved."

Edward squeezed her knee. "But don't worry; they won't say anything that might upset you. You're my wife; you deserve respect and you will have it."

Her spirit wasn't particularly uplifted by his assurances.

Edward's phoned beeped. He took it out and read the message.

"It's Emmett," he said. "He and Rosalie are going to be here in five minutes."

Bella scrunched up her face. She could only imagine how unhappy Rosalie was with her for keeping the news of pregnancy away from her. Bella wanted to see Rosalie, but she feared a confrontation with her at the same time. She didn't like to disappoint her friends.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rosalie waddled through the front door with Emmet right behind her. He guided her to the couch, helping her sit down.

Rose looked up at Bella, her eyes focusing on the other woman's baby bump. "I knew that something wasn't adding up. I should have guessed this," she gestured accusingly to Bella's midsection. "You disappeared so suddenly, quit your job. Edward you must be losing his touch, having found out about it so late."

Emmett ignored everyone, but his wife, and arranged the pillows on the coffee table, and elevated Rose's feet onto it.

"I'm fine," she told him with an undercurrent of barely concealed impatience in her voice, swatting his hands away from her.

"She demanded to come here after your morning call," Emmett said to Edward. "She couldn't be persuaded even though she's two days past her due date and should be home and resting."

Rose sent him a death glare. "That's not my fault that your stubborn daughter doesn't want to come out when she should."

"I think that the stubbornness is something that she definitely took after you," he murmured quietly.

Rosalie glanced from Edward to Emmett. "You two, out." She pointed to the door. "Bella and I want to be left alone. Go somewhere, have a drink, and don't too early."

"I'm not leaving you when you can go into labor at any moment," her husband announced.

Rosalie's eyes narrowed menacingly. "Don't piss me off more than I already am. It's your fault in the first place." She touched her huge belly. "And I won't go into labor anytime soon. We're going to the hospital on Monday when Dr. Chang will have to induce labor because your stubborn daughter doesn't want to listen to any reason just like her father."

"Rosalie, baby," Emmett began but she pointed her finger again at the door.

"Out," she hissed.

Edward clasped his brother's shoulder. "Let's go. Better to leave them alone."

"Don't show up for at least two hours," Rosalie cried after them as they walked out. "And bring some food on your way back," she added hurriedly before the front door shut.

Timidly Bella sat next to Rosalie.

"Well, well," Rose said, shaking her head. "I'm in awe, seriously. I don't know how you pulled that off, hiding it for so long from him."

"I was beginning to believe that he had forgotten about me."

Rosalie laughed before wincing slightly. "Shit, I shouldn't be laughing; everything is uncomfortable these days even laughter." She adjusted herself against the pillows tucked behind her back. "Forget about you?" she cried mockingly. "You must be kidding. Don't you remember how he stared at you at our wedding?"

Bella pressed her lips tightly together. "I could only see that blonde bitch he was with."

Rose watched her closely for a moment. "You still love him," she stated.

"Of course, I love him," Bella answered without hesitation. "But he is like two people, and I only love the version of him that shows itself when we are alone, just the two of us."

Rosalie gave her a sympathetic look. "I know what you mean."

"Recently he's been become the Edward I don't like more and more often," Bella admitted quietly.

Rose reached for her hand, touching her wedding rings. "So, Vegas?

Huh?"

Bella shrugged. "I had no choice. I was all alone at home when he came; he put me into a car, and later on a plane. He said that he would take the baby from me once he was born, so I agreed to the wedding."

"Bastard," Rose murmured.

"Yeah." Bella nodded. "And today he told me that he'd never had any real intention of doing it and that he'd said it just to scare me enough to marry him."

"That's so fucked up," Rose commented compassionately. "But to tell you the truth, I'm not sure how Emmett would react if I tried to run away with his baby."

"No offense Rosalie, but you're having a girl, you can at least hope for a normal life for her. My baby is a boy, and I don't want him ever to be involved in what Emmett and Edward do."

Rose was silent for a long moment. "Can you try to come to terms with what they do?" she asked. "It would be so much easier that way for you. Think that they are businessmen, just sometimes involved in some illegal things, like selling weapons or stock exchange and investment fraud."

"Come on, Rosalie, you can't tell me that it doesn't bother you," Bella argued. "I know that it bothered you a lot in the past."

"I try not to think about it. The world is not all black and white; there will always be evil…"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Bella interrupted her. "What about human trafficking, selling children? I can't come to terms with that! I never will," she vowed fiercely.

Rosalie paled. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know about the baby factories they ran in Bulgaria?"

"No, what are you talking about? Who told you that?"

"There was an article in the Seattle Times a few months ago. Young girls left their hometowns and villages on the promise of getting good jobs in hotels. They were later imprisoned and impregnated, and their babies taken away from them shortly after birth to be sold to wealthier countries."

Rose shook her head. "I can't believe it!"

Bella compassionately looked at her friend. She remembered how she'd felt when she'd first heard about it. "It's true. When I confronted Edward, he didn't deny it. It was the reason we broke up."

"That's…" the other woman stammered."That's impossible. It has to be some misunderstanding."

"I asked him, Rose. Edward confirmed that they were involved."

Rosalie frowned, staring down, and Bella could see that she was thinking intensely about what she'd just been told. "Do you know to what degree?" she finally asked.

"Does it matter?

"Of course it matters. I refuse to believe that Emmett could have anything to do with it apart from a business association."

Bella blinked at her unbelievably. "A business association is not enough for you?"

Rosalie's face hardened. "Bella, it is a very complicated world that Edward and Emmett live in, it's a multi layered organization; there's nothing simple about it. Sometimes they have to do things they do not agree with just to survive, to protect us and themselves. It's like politics in many ways. I'll ask Emmett about it."

"So he could lie to you just to ease your conscience?" Bella asked snidely.

Rose looked taken aback. "Why are you saying that? Emmett won't lie to me. But I can see now that you are quite certain that Edward would lie to you."

"Well... I don't know about that because I refused to listen to his explanations," Bella admitted.

"So you prefer to kill yourself slowly with those nightmarish thoughts of your man being involved in baby trafficking instead of allowing him to explain?"

Bella felt herself getting irritated. "Rose, why can't you understand that they shouldn't get involved in baby trafficking in the first place? It's wrong."

"Don't be naive. What did you expect?" Rosalie asked rationally. "That the only illegal thing that they might be involved in is the tax fraud? You knew who he was from the very beginning, you knew what you were getting yourself into, we both knew, you and I. Now you're trying to make him worse than he already is."

"Yes, I knew what I was getting myself into, or perhaps I didn't because I'd never expected something like that!" Bella cried with exasperation.

"Then let him explain!" Rosalie exclaimed. "I'm sorry to say that, but you're acting like a coward, this is the easiest way out, you know - label them monsters and run away."

Bella could hardly believe the turn the conversation had taken, that Rosalie was taking Edward's side and not hers. "You said yourself that you had doubts about Emmett, that there was a time when you broke up with him," she reminded her.

"Yes, I had my doubts. I still have them. But when I decided to have a serious relationship with him, it meant standing by his side and supporting him, giving him the benefit of the doubt when he wants to explain something to me. Emmett has feelings too, the same as Edward. They are easily hurt; you may not believe it. You should have seen the state Edward was in when you left him. Emmett had to come and live here with him for the first two weeks because we were afraid that he would self-harm himself, or even worse. And the fact that he's acting so crazy now… it's because he doesn't know how to make you listen. And he doesn't want to lose you and the baby."

Bella stared at her friend in wonder. Rosalie questioned her judgment. Was she right? Had Bella been too quick in her assessment of Edward's character? Had she chosen the easiest way out? Had she been a coward all the way?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"What did you and Rosalie talk about all this time?" Edward asked. "When Emmett and I returned you were still deep in conversation."

Bella climbed on the bed, dressed in shorts and an oversized t-shirt, her favorite sleep attire with a tube of lotion in her hand. It had been an exhausting day for her with all the morning drama and later, a rather draining and thought provoking discussion with Rosalie.

For the last couple of hours, Edward had keenly observed her as she brooded in silence. It was just a matter of time before he would make a comment. She was surprised that it had taken him so long to ask.

Bella tried to bend down the best she could despite the obstacle of her pregnant belly in order to rub the lotion on the skin of her legs. She hated having dry, itchy skin.

"How do you think?" she asked, generously squirting the peach scented lotion onto her knee, spreading it from there.

Edward took the tube of lotion from her. "I'll do it," he said.

Bella leaned back against the pillows, allowing him to rub the lotion diligently on the skin of her feet and calves. It felt heavenly, stirring small flames of desire and warmth in her, causing tingling in her breasts and between her legs.

As his capable hands rubbed their way up to her thighs, she felt wetness pooling in her panties. Damn hormones, she was much hornier during pregnancy than ever before. She'd told herself that she wouldn't sleep with him after everything that he had done, but her resolve was weakening.

Her breath hitched as his hand moved even higher up her inner thigh.

His eyes locked with hers, and he stretched beside her, not removing his hand from between her legs.

Bella closed her eyes again as he pressed butterfly kisses against her forehead and temple, her hand fisting in his t-shirt.

"What did you do with her?" she asked.

"What? With whom?" he sounded disoriented.

Her eyes snapped open. "You very well know who, that bitch you took to Rosalie's wedding."

"I told you I didn't sleep with her."

"But you did something, foreplay," she pressed for details.

He kissed her forehead again, murmuring. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters. If I were with someone when we were apart…"

He put a finger on her lips. "Don't even say that. I don't want to hear it."

She looked at him, her eyes both questioning and demanding.

He sighed. "She kissed me, face, chest, stroked me through my pants… there, nothing more. I left soon after."

"I don't like it," she informed him.

"Babe, you and I weren't together at the time. I was so fucking angry, desperate, confused and missed you so much. I was ready to try anything just to ease the pain. Emmett suggested I hook up with someone else."

"I was suffering too," she argued. "But I didn't try to run to some other guy," she accused.

Edward supported his forehead against hers. "Let's not talk about it now, ok? You have nothing to worry about, trust me. You're the only one for me."

It took her a long moment to relax and succumb to his caresses again.

"You're dripping wet," he murmured in a husky voice, gently exploring her most intimate place.

"It's just the hormones," she breathed, biting on her lower lip to stop herself from moaning.

"Just the hormones?" he questioned, laughter in his voice, inserting one finger inside her, her muscles clenching around it instantly.

"Yes, don't flatter yourself," she groaned. Smug bastard.

"I love you, baby," he whispered into her ear. "I want to be with you in every way."

"Sex won't solve our problems," she said at the same time helping him to pull her shorts and panties down her legs.

"Can you not over think everything for a moment?" he asked, spreading her legs, moving between them.

She opened herself completely to him, bending her knees. She needed this, and she didn't care for now. Let him be useful for something other than heartache and causing major moral dilemma.

"I want to see your tits," he demanded, pushing up her t-shirt. "Fuck, they look great," he murmured, taking her nipple into his mouth.

"Gently," she admonished. "They're tender."

"Fucking perfect," he said, licking around her enlarged aureoles. That was heaven; she had mini orgasms just from his attention to her breasts.

"That's going to be tricky," he chuckled a long moment later, hovering over her on an outstretched arm.

"Its fine," she insisted impatiently, pulling him down on her, her lust induced brain registering only the feeling of his hard, hot penis rubbing against her inner thigh.

"I'm too heavy for both of you," he protested, moving away from her.

She moaned not in pleasure, but in distress. He had to be kidding her. She needed him inside of her.

"Let's try it this way," he proposed, spooning behind her, pressing his front tightly to her back, moving her leg over his hip.

She came shamefully quickly, clenching fiercely around him just after a few deep pushes. She tried to hold back her moans, but ended muffling them against the pillow.

"Fuck, yes," she heard soon after as he went completely limp behind her.

He slipped from her, shifting her onto her back, pressing his face into her neck.

"That was wonderful; I have missed you so much," he whispered lovingly, cupping her belly.

Bella looked into his eyes. How this could be so wrong but felt so good at the same time?

"Promise that you won't try to leave me again," he pleaded, rare vulnerability shining in his eyes.

"I don't want to leave, but…"

"Then stay," he interrupted her. "Stay with me, promise you will."

Remembering what Rosalie had said, she combed the falling hair away from his forehead. "We need to talk."

He looked uncertain for a moment. "About?"

"The baby factories. I have to know everything."

"Okay," he agreed instantly. "I have nothing to hide. I'll tell you everything."

"Good." She nodded, sitting up.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked, his voice playful again.

"I need to wash up," she explained, moving to the edge of the bed. "I'm leaking."

He grinned. "I gave you all I had," he praised himself. "All stored up just for you, baby."

She shook her head at him. "Oh, come on, that was such a lame and crude comment even for you."

As she walked into the bathroom, she thought that sometimes he was such a dork, sounding worse than a teenage boy.

Bella stepped into the shower to clean up, soon bumping into Edward, crowding next to her.

"I need to get cleaned up too," he announced brightly.

"I'm finished," she told him, stepping out of the cubicle.

She changed into fresh underwear, then straightened the bed covers.

"Ready to talk?" he asked from behind, wrapping his arms around her.

He seemed so eager which she found rather strange and unexpected. She had expected him to be more squeamish about approaching the topic of his illegal activities.

The baby chose that moment to kick quite hard low in her abdomen.

"Feel," she said quickly, moving Edward's hand right on the spot.

Her little guy cooperated, kicking again against his father's palm. They waited for another kick that soon followed.

"I think that he went to sleep," Bella said, turning to face Edward, when any movement inside her belly seemed to cease.

She was a bit taken aback when she saw tears brimming in his eyes. He was genuinely touched, experiencing his child's first movements. The same man who was involved in baby factory business. It was all beyond her apprehension.

Could one person be a stand up family man, seemingly capable of love and tenderness, and a monster to the outside world at the same time?

_Thank you for reading and reviewing! _


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

"You remember from the article the name of Miazga, Sam Miazga?" Edward asked.

They were lying in bed together, facing each other, the lights in the room dimmed. There was about two feet of free space between them. Bella thought that they should not be able to touch or kiss. It was supposed to be a serious conversation, and they didn't need any distractions.

"Yes, I do remember. The article stated that he acted on your behalf and your father's."

"Yes, well that wasn't the exact truth. It was the other way round in a way."

She frowned. "You worked for that Miazga guy?" she asked unbelievably.

Edward shook his head. "Miazga was put under Cullen jurisdiction."

"By whom?"

"The families. A few years ago he emerged as a self-made man. Using his contacts in Eastern Europe, he started the first baby factory. His business was developing steadily and proving quite profitable, successful. As he was growing in power, the families kept a close eye on him. About three years ago it was decided that he should be made an offer that he couldn't refuse. His business had to be incorporated into one of the families in order to have proper control over him. As he had ties to Seattle, and there his permanent residence was in the USA, he naturally fell under our supervision. That was a very simple arrangement. He was sharing some of the profits with us while we offered our protection; what's more important is having control over him. Thankfully, he had no ambition to expand his interests into other areas. We came to think that he derived personal pleasure from it, impregnating most of the girls himself. There was no need for us to be involved in the details of his business operation. What counted was that he didn't hold any real intention to take us over."

Bella stared silently at the man lying next to her. She didn't know what to say. It wasn't the story of Sam Miazga that shook her to her core, but Edward's calm and casual manner in which he told her about all this. As if it was all normal.

"Why did you agree to that? It's despicable… how could you?"

"Bella, I had to agree," he said. "I couldn't show weakness in front of the other families - that could endanger our safety."

She moved onto her back, turning her head to look at him. "Didn't it bother you? That you were even partially responsible for such a horrible thing happening?"

He didn't answer for a long moment. "I couldn't get rid of Miazga immediately; that would raise suspicions, and make us look weak. We couldn't afford that, still can't. I had to be more ruthless than them. Other families wanted to put their hands on his business as well," he explained. "I had to wait for just the right moment when I could give Miazga to the FBI with all the evidence. You remember when they came after you? I told you that I offered them something in exchange for leaving you in peace? They were thrilled to say the least. "

"How many babies were taken from their mothers and sold during that time?"

He blinked at her. "I don't know. I told you I didn't operate it. We've just been associated with it that's all."

"But you took your profit from it?"

"Yes, I did," he admitted, adding hastily. "But after our break up, I gave away all the money to charities. I can show you the paperwork. Everything went to women's shelters here and also a few similar organizations run in Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries."

"And you think that this will redeem you? You think that this will repair the evil that you were associated with as you claim?"

He didn't answer, but the lines of his face hardened, his eyes turning cold. "You know too little about me and my families so do not judge us. We do what we can, what we have to in order to survive. My grandfather started our organization. He came to America with nothing. You have no idea how it was for my father and me to grow up with this legacy."

"I don't believe that every son of a mobster has to follow in his father's footsteps."

Edward sat up, and she could see that his agitation was growing. "Why do you keep saying that? My father is a businessman the same as I am. Most of our work is perfectly legal, and if you think that all those politicians and CEOs you see on TV have clean hands then you are more naïve than I think you are."

Bella sat up as well, supporting her back against the upholstered headboard. "Why can't you see that you're in denial? You contradict yourself. First you speak of how difficult it was for you and your father to grow up with such a legacy as you call it, and then you say how perfectly legal most of it is. It's as if you both glorify and resent it."

"I'm doing what I can for my family and now for you and our child as well," he said, bitterness oozing from his voice. "And you for a change could show me some support instead of depicting me as a monster."

"I don't think of you as a monster," she whispered, her eyes watching him.

He pushed the bedcovers away, getting out of the bed. "Really? I have another impression." With those words, he left the room not glancing back at her.

It took her twenty minutes to gather her inner strength to go search for him. He was sitting on the couch in the living area, nursing a drink, and staring out at the night through the tall windows.

She sat next to him, reaching her hand to rub his back. He tensed under her touch, his jaw line clenching, his fingers tightening around the glass in his hand.

"Do you know what I think?" she asked quietly. "One day something horrible will happen to one of us just because we are the Cullens, like it happened to your father like it happened to you when you were shot. I am terrified that something will happen to our son, and that is why I ran away."

His head snapped in her direction. "I'll protect you and him, both of you."

"Can you do that? Can you really Edward? Do you have such power? Perhaps you are deluding yourself."

"I can protect both my son and you. I protected my mother, Emmett and Alice."

"Who will protect you?"

"You're being dramtic."

She pulled away from him, curling up in the corner of the couch.

"Hey." He reached for her, lifting her chin up with his finger.

"Everything will be all right. Don't worry."

She looked him in the eyes. "The only way is to change everything, is to leave this lifestyle, and live differently."

"I told you once; that's not possible, not now, and I don't know if it ever will be."

She thought for a moment, before speaking gently. "Perhaps it's because you enjoy it to some degree, the power, the influence, you're in a way proud of this legacy you mentioned."

Something had changed in his expression for a moment before he covered it with a blank stare. "If I wanted therapy I would go to a shrink, so get over it," he spat, his tone angry and defensive. "You asked me about the trafficking business; I answered you honestly. What else do you want from me?"

He emptied the rest of the amber colored liquid, putting the empty glass on the coffee table.

"I'm going to sleep," he said, standing up. "I suggest that you do the same. It's been a long day."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella was cocooned in bed, Edward heating her back with his body. It was still quite early, and she had no reason to get up yet. Besides, she always enjoyed this time between deep sleep and gradually gained consciousness just before the new day started.

They had gone to bed late last night. They were first lay separated by the length of the bed. But when she'd woken up to pee around two am, Edward's arm was thrown over her, and he'd been glued to her side, his hand on her bump.

When she'd gotten back from the bathroom, she'd cuddled to him, not being able to return to sleep for a long time, her thoughts returning to their conversation.

Without a doubt, she was relieved that he hadn't started the baby factories, or ran them. She was more than impressed that he'd helped to put that Miazga character into prison and that he'd given away all the profit from trafficking to charities.

At the same time, she started to realize that he would probably never leave this lifestyle. At the beginning when he'd told her about his interrupted plans of going to med school, she'd seen him as someone who had been forced into organized crime in order to protect his family, as a victim of the circumstances that he'd been born into. That gave her hope that one day he would be ready to walk away from the family business. Now, she became more and more convinced that he enjoyed it to a certain degree, especially some aspects of it like the power that he had over other people. He seemed excited and proud, telling her how he'd helped to put Miazga in prison.

Bella thought that she heard the ringtone for the phone, but she refused to open her eyes.

She felt Edward moving from behind her, and soon the muffled sound of his voice reached her ears from the living room. She ignored it, burying her head deeper in the pillow.

He must have finished the call because she'd heard him in the bathroom and later as he moved quietly around the room.

"Babe," he whispered, his finger combing her hair away from her face.

"Emmett took Rose to the hospital last night; I'm going there now."

Her eyes snapped open. "Is she okay? Did she have the baby?"

"She's ok; they had to perform an emergency C-section, but Rose is fine, their little girl as well. Emmett says we can come to see her."

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" she asked, sitting up.

"You seemed to be sleeping deeply," he explained, his hand moving to her bump.

"I'm going with you," she said, climbing out of bed.

When she entered the kitchen twenty minutes later dressed casually in jeans and hoodie, her hair combed back into a high ponytail; she saw Edward carefully slicing bread. He didn't look as if he had any real practice with it.

"You're making breakfast," she noted, coming to stand next to him.

He cracked a smile at her. "I thought that making sandwiches would be safe enough for me."

"I'll finish them," she proposed.

"No, no you sit down,' he said, guarding his spot by the counter. "I can do it."

Bella poured herself a tall glass of orange juice and took a seat at the long table.

She watched him quietly as he was putting finishing touches to the sandwiches, adding cucumber and tomato. They looked delicious. Her stomach growled loudly.

She let a little sigh, looking down at the wooden table. Would she ever understand him? Sometimes, he tried so hard to gain her favor and please her. She would have to be completely blind not to see it. But then, there were times when he got angry and mad, calling her names, forcing her into things she didn't want, and manhandling her.

She didn't care so much for herself anymore, but she had to think about the life inside of her. Would she be able to protect her baby boy? Would her son have a real choice in life?

"I woke up at night and then I could not go back to sleep for a long time," she said in a quiet voice.

"The baby was kicking?" he asked knowingly, turning his head to her with a grin. "You should have woken me up. I would have enjoyed feeling him.

She shook her head. "No, it's not that. I was thinking about our earlier conversation and I couldn't get back to sleep."

He put the plate with sandwiches in front of her. She could see the tension building up in his face and movements as he was putting the cheese and ham back into the fridge.

She reached to pull at his arm. "Edward, look at me." When she was sure that she had his attention, she said. "I'm sorry."

His expression was still unsure as he stared down at her.

"I'm sorry that I didn't let you explain, that I ran away without giving you a chance."

His eyes were on her face, cautious, wary. He didn't believe her.

She stood up, leaning against his side. "I'll try to make it work. I won't run away if…"

"If?"

"You must promise me that you will keep our son away from the family business, that when he grows up he will have a normal profession."

His hands went to her stomach. "I only want the best for him. Don't you trust me on that?" he asked, sounding offended.

She pressed into him. "Promise me, no, I want you to swear that when one day he asks what you do, you will say that you are an entrepreneur, that you run a real estate company, clubs and restaurants."

He shrugged. "That's what I do."

"You know what I mean, not a word about other things."

"Do you prefer him to learn about it from others? You can't hide the truth from the boy forever."

"If he asks you about the Cullen Family, you will tell him the truth, we won't lie to him about it. But I don't want him to feel encouraged or in any way forced to follow in your footsteps."

"What if he decides that he wants to be involved in the family business?" he challenged.

Bella shook her head. "He won't, I'll make sure of that. I will do everything in my power to raise him with the right set of values."

His face darkened. "Contrary to me, right? Because in your opinion, I don't have the right set of values?"

She looked him straight in the eyes. "I think that you had them once, but you have forgotten. When you interrupted your education to take over for your father, you began to enjoy this, especially the power and influence that you have now. I'm not exactly sure anymore whether you would walk away even if you had a realistic chance to do so."

He was silent.

"Well?" she asked. "Do we have a deal? I'll stay with you. I will be a loving wife, and you'll have a home and the family you crave so much, but our son is off limits when it comes to the family business."

"Deal," he said, holding her gaze. "He will have his choice of a career.

I don't understand why you think that I want the worst for my children."

"Good." She nodded her head. "You swear."

He put a hand to his heart. "I swear."

"But remember," she pointed a finger into his chest, "If I see you, Carlisle or Emmett trying to involve him in what you do in any way, no matter how old he is five, ten or fifteen, if I have a shadow of suspicion, I'll be gone the same day together with my son and I guarantee that you won't find me. I'll do it much better than I did last time. I'll go to your worst enemy if necessary, or to the FBI to get away from you. I'll do everything to protect my baby." Having said those words she stared into his eyes for a long moment, wanting to be sure that he had gotten her message loud and clear. His face was unreadable; it was hard to guess what he was thinking, but she thought she saw a glimpse of admiration in his eyes. Good, perhaps he would take her seriously now.

She stepped away from him, taking her previous seat at the table. She took a bite of the sandwich he'd prepared for her.

"Delicious," she assured him, swallowing. "You should make these more often."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

On their way to the hospital, Bella made Edward stop to pick up flowers for Rosalie. She also found a cute baby outfit in a boutique called Chic Baby. It was a tiny light pink dress with footed polka dot leggings and a matching hat. As Bella was looking through the countless adorable dresses, she almost regretted that she wasn't having a girl herself.

When they arrived at the hospital, it was already midday. The room in which they were directed to was full of people. The newest Miss Cullen was surely a very popular person today among family and friends.

As Edward and Bella entered the crowded room, they were greeted with perfect silence, interrupted only by the cooing and soft grunts coming from the baby. Everyone's eyes zoomed in on them, or rather on Bella's midsection.

Bella wasn't brave enough to look back at any of them. She said a quiet hello in their general direction, before concentrating all her attention on Rosalie. She walked to the bed, taking Emmett's place, who stepped back to greet his brother and accept his congratulations.

"Hey, baby Momma," Bella said softly, grinning at Rose, who was proudly holding the infant in her arms, swaddled in a pink blanket.

"Congrats, she's perfect."

"Thank you," Rosalie smiled back, her eyes not leaving the baby's face.

"How beautiful," she said at the flowers Edward handed to her. "You didn't have to, but thank you."

Esme took the flowers quickly from her son, putting them together with the rest of the bouquets by the window.

"And this is for the baby girl," Bella said, opening the gift bag and showing Rosalie the outfit.

"Look what auntie Bella bought you, look," Rose cooed shifting the baby a little, pretending that her daughter took a look, even though the infant's eyes were barely open. "Are we going to wear it later? I think that we are, yes, we are."

"Can I hold her?" Bella begged. "I washed my hands before we came in."

Carefully Rosalie moved the baby into Bella's eagerly awaiting hands.

"She is big," Bella observed, weighting the bundle in her arms.

Rose nodded proudly. "She is a little over ten pounds."

"That's something for a girl," Bella agreed, moving the hat away from her little head. "And what thick and long, dark hair she has."

Rosalie frowned and pouted, glaring in the direction of her husband. "He said that she looked like a monkey when he first saw her." She pointed accusingly.

Bella laughed softly, tracing the downy body hair on the child's shoulder with her finger. "It's just lanugo; it will fall out within the next week or two."

"You're sure?" Emmett sounded worried. "She has it all over her back too."

Bella pulled the little hat back in place, glancing at Rosalie. "Your doctor didn't tell you that the hairs on her body will disappear?"

"Of course, she did," Rosalie replied angrily taking the baby back into her arms. "But that idiot finds it hard to believe."

"I'm only concerned," Emmett defended. "I don't want other kids to pick on her, calling her a freak show."

"What's her name?" Bella asked, ignoring her brother-in-law's rambling, hoping to bring the conversation to a safer topic.

"Michelle Esmeralda Cullen, after my late mother and her grandmother," Rose said looking over at Esme, who put her hand to her heart, beaming.

"Beautiful names," Bella agreed. "They suit her, little Michelle." She reached her hand to stroke the baby's side.

Michelle took this time to announce loudly that she was up for her feeding. Rose asked everyone to leave the room, asking only that Bella stay with her.

"How are you?" Bella asked with concern as Rosalie was feeding the baby with a bottle brought by a nurse.

"Everything hurts despite the drugs."

"You underwent a serious operation; it will take you a few weeks to return to your old self, perhaps even longer."

"I don't have any milk," Rose admitted in a whisper as though she was ashamed.

"You will have it in a day or two," Bella calmly assured her. "After a C-section it happens quite often, your body is confused."

"The nurse said the same but I feel like such a failure."

"Don't think that. Look how well she's eating; she'll be fine on a bottle for a little while."

Rosalie still wasn't convinced. "But, I read so much about the importance of breastfeeding, how it strengthens the child against illnesses for their entire childhood and even into their adult life."

"Don't over think this. I promise you that you'll be feeding her on your own within the next few days. You'll see."

Rosalie gave a trembling sigh. "I hope so."

"Try not to stress about it, stress won't help the milk come in any sooner." Rose nodded in agreement, staring at her child who was devouring the content of the plastic bottle. "Ugh… and that father of hers… I still can't believe that he called her a monkey!" she whispered-shouted. "As if there was something wrong with her." Tears brimmed in Rosalie's blue eyes.

"He just didn't know that this sometimes happens and is perfectly normal," Bella tried to justify. "He was surprised; that's all. You know how men are, especially Emmett and Edward, so willing to put a foot in their mouth."

"Yes, but have you heard him? He called my baby a freak show! I will give him a freak show once we're alone."

Bella looked with compassion at the other woman. She could understand why Rose's emotions were all over the place. Emmett's comment about the baby resembling a monkey was very insensitive, and not something that any mother of a beautiful little girl wants to hear. It was definitely something that only a man would say.

"What about you and Edward," Rose said as Michelle finished her bottle.

"You're getting along?"

"Yes, I guess so. We talk a lot. God, I do hope we're getting somewhere."

"Well, he looks good, happy, peaceful, and nothing like when you were apart."

"You think?"

Rose widened her eyes in exaggeration. "He's head over heels in love with you, dummy. Why can't you see it? He's happy that you're with him now, and not going anywhere."

Bella pursed her lips, crossing her arms over her tummy. "Definitely not going anywhere judging by how crazy he acted when I took the car by myself to buy groceries."

"I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of those bodyguards who overlooked your leaving the apartment."

"Yeah, me neither."

A nurse entered, interrupting their conversation. "Baby and mother need to rest now, doctors' orders," she announced.

Bella hugged Rosalie, before kissing Michelle's tiny palm.

"You'll return later?" Rose asked.

"Sure, do you need anything?"

Rose smiled. "We have everything we need, but thank you for asking."

"Sleep mummy," Bella said as the nurse put the baby into the bassinet placed on the other side of the bed. "Michelle is already soundly asleep."

Wincing, Rose moved and laid back against the pillows, the nurse adjusting the angle of the hospital bed to make her more comfortable.

Coming out of the room, Bella walked right into Edward and his parents talking quietly. Extending his arm to her, Edward beckoned her closer.

Bella stepped to him, feeling safe by his side as his arm wrapped around her.

Gathering her courage, she looked up first at Esme and then at Carlisle, but her eyes quickly returned to Esme. They didn't look as welcoming and encouraging as when she'd first been introduced to them.

"Well, I think that there are some matters that should be discussed," Esme said, her voice not exactly hostile, but rather cold without its usual warmth. "Come to dinner tonight, let's say at seven."

Edward tried to protest. "Mum, we're still settling in, perhaps next week."

Esme narrowed her eyes. "Not next week, tonight. I'll make a healthy dinner. Bella should eat nutritious meals in her condition."

"For Christ sake's mum, she's eating well," he said, impatience oozing from his voice. "What do you think? I'm starving her?"

"Do not take the name of the Lord in vain, son," Esme scolded him. "Today at seven, we're expecting you, both of you."

Bella nodded. "We'll come." There was no point in delaying this. Esme and Carlisle were her son's grandparents. She couldn't avoid them forever; the bridges had to be mended.

"Good," Esme said, looking pleased. "First of all, we need to discuss a proper wedding because we can hardly count that Las Vegas thing you two did, without a priest, without friends and family. Who has heard about something like that? We're not some mindless celebrities as to accept such a thing."

Bella gasped quietly, her eyes widening. She hadn't expected that the Cullens would want another wedding. A ceremony in a church, as big and lavish as Rosalie had had, was not something Bella wished to do, not now, perhaps not ever.

_Thank you for reading!_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

They left the hospital at half past three, Bella promising to come back tomorrow. She felt that Rosalie needed her support. Emmett gave her the impression of being rather lost in his new role as a father. He thrived, accepting congratulations from his family, proudly shaking hands, exchanging hugs and pats on the back, but he seemed to be afraid to hold or even touch his daughter. Bella hoped that this would change, sooner rather than later. Because once they were home from the hospital with Michelle, and he still was afraid to help with the little one, Rosalie would be completely on her own. Rose needed time to recover from the surgery; she shouldn't move too much or lift any heavy things for the first couple of weeks.

Bella was starving so Edward took her to the eatery they'd dined at many times before. She had fond memories of this place because Edward had taken her there on one of their first dates, the morning when he had burned breakfast in her kitchen.

Having satisfied her initial hunger, Bella nibbled on her food, lost in her thoughts.

"Don't you like it?" Edward asked.

"No, it's delicious," she assured. "I'm just thinking."

He gave her expectant look. "About?"

"Rosalie, she is stressed, and Emmett doesn't appear particularly eager to help her with the baby."

"Give him time, he will come around, it's all so new to him."

"Rosalie underwent a serious operation; she shouldn't overtire herself, walk too much or lift. She will need a lot of help in the first weeks. And Emmett is afraid even to take the baby from the bassinet to give to Rosalie so she can to hold her."

"I'm sure he'll learn with some practice. My mum can help Rose for the time being, she'll be thrilled to do it, as a matter of fact. And they can always hire a nanny."

Bella still wasn't convinced with his arguments. "I think Rose would prefer Emmett help her with their child."

"You worry too much. They will figure it out, eventually."

"I just feel for Rose, in three months I'll be in her shoes."

Edward lifted his right hand like for an oath. "I promise to pull my weight once our baby is born. And I won't tell you that he looks like a monkey even though between you and me he probably will be quite a hairy little fellow."

"So you'll help with the feedings in the middle of the night, diapers, and tons of laundry?" she asked skeptically.

"I'm in all the way."

She nodded. "Good to know." Time would tell if he managed to keep his resolution.

Bella returned to her meal, but as the food turned cold, and she wasn't hungry anymore, she put the cutlery on the plate, murmuring a quiet thank you.

Edward helped her out of her seat. Someone brought her coat, and Edward made sure that she was bundled up warmly.

"Can we walk to your place?" she asked when he guided her to the waiting car once they were outside. "It's within walking distance, not far from here, not more than twenty minutes."

He hesitated.

"I crave some fresh air; physical exercise is good for me and the baby," she added.

Edward still looked undecided.

She pulled at his arm. "Come on, let's take a stroll. It's pretty cold, but it's not raining."

"As you wish," he agreed with a smile. "Wait here," he said, stepping to the car where Cesare was standing. They exchanged a few quiet words, before the bodyguard got into the car and pulled into the traffic.

They began to walk; Edward's arm wound up behind her in an almost iron hold, keeping her steady and secure on her feet. They had been silent for the first couple of minutes before Edward spoke.

"When I asked what you were thinking about, I thought that you would answer that you were worried about the dinner at my parents' tonight."

"Oh, that," she said.

"Yeah, that."

She stopped walking, turning to face him. "Edward, I don't want a big wedding with a reception with hundreds of guests like Rosalie had," she said with determination, looking up at him.

His face broke into a boyish smile, creasing his cheeks. "Me neither." He waited a moment, surely taking in her shocked impression. "What? Show me a man who enjoys the circus called a wedding reception. My mother lives for those things, but I think that if both of us put up a good fight, we can succeed."

"You think?" she asked breathlessly with growing hope.

"Yes, we'll tell my mum that you're not feeling up to it in your state. I will do the talking, ok? I'll play the role of the doormat wrapped around your little finger who doesn't want to upset his very pregnant wife." To illustrate his words, he put both hands on her bulging belly.

Bella cocked up an eyebrow at him. Edward Cullen as a doormat, what sane person would ever believe that? She wasn't sold on his strategy.

"There's one thing though, that both of them, my mother and father would insist on," he added seriously. "And they won't relent."

"What?"

"A Catholic wedding. It can be a small one, family only and without a reception, but that's very important to them, because in their eyes, we're not married, just legally joined I guess."

"I can agree to a quiet wedding in a church," she said. "I was baptized, but my parents never attended any church, so I was raised by parents who weren't atheists, but agnostics to be sure. Can I be married in a Catholic church?"

"That wouldn't be a problem; it was the same with Rosalie. She and Emmett had to attend some pre-wedding classes, but it was nothing too heavy or time consuming. I personally care about only one matter," he said, staring with intensity into her eyes. "I would like our children to be raised in the Catholic faith."

"I don't mind, on the contrary. I've always thought that I lacked something being raised without any religious education, so to speak. I would like my kids to have that, going to Sunday School, and other traditions.'

He lowered his head kissing her forehead under her fuzzy beanie. "Thank you, that means a lot to me and my family. Christ your nose is like ice, let's go."

They began walking again turning onto a quieter street, which was mostly empty. Bella recognized that they were only a few minutes from Edward's loft, just one turn round the corner, and they should see his building.

She cuddled closer to Edward's side, his arm wrapping even more protectively around her.

"You're ok?" he asked, keeping up their pace.

She smiled up at him. In response, he leaned down, his eyes burning at her. She tilted her face, expecting a short, sweet kiss.

Suddenly she was violently pulled away from him, something tugging strongly at the bag hanging from her arm.

"Give me this!" She heard from behind her. Before she could react, she was pushed back behind Edward.

Peeking from behind his shoulder, she saw a huge man in a hood, dressed all in black, oversized clothes. He had a long knife in his hand.

"Run fast if you want to live," Edward said his voice calm and unfaltering.

"Give me her bag and your wallet if you want to live," the man responded.

Bella threw her bag onto the pavement, and the man grabbed it instantly.

"Now the wallet," he said. "Wallet and phone."

"Give it to him" she whispered, surprised how terrified her voice sounded. "He has a knife."

"You are dead already," Edward said, opening his coat to take out his wallet and Blackberry.

Still holding the knife in front of Edward's chest, the man threw the phone and wallet into her hobo bag.

"Now her jewelry," he motioned to Bella.

Edward gave a slight nod of his head.

Her hands shaking; Bella removed her glove, pulling off her wedding rings. The man snatched them from her outstretched palm.

"The rest too!" the mugger hissed.

"That's all she has," Edward told him, his voice strong. "Now go away."

The man glanced to the left and right before stepping away slowly. Bella let out an internal sigh of relief as she thought that the man was about to take off. But then he lunged forward, the knife flashing in front Edward's face. Within seconds, their assaulter was gone, and Edward was lowered to his knees, holding onto his neck, his face twisted in pain.

After a minute of shocked silence, Bella's professional training kicked in. She gently helped Edward to lie down on his side, checking the injury to his neck. It was dangerously close to his artery, and bleeding badly.

"Help!" she cried, but the sound coming out of her throat was quiet and hoarse. "Help someone! Please!" She cried in a stronger voice.

She couldn't even call for an ambulance; both of their phones had been taken away. She hoped that someone would hear her. She couldn't run away for help because she had to press on his wound to stop the bleeding.

"Edward, don't close your eyes," she pleaded. "Look at me, stay with me," she pleaded. "Help! Someone, please help me!" she shouted. "Anyone!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Minutes passed which felt like eternity to her. She cried for help until her throat was raw, but there was no one there, not even a passerby. Finally, she heard tires screech, and saw the light of a fast approaching car blinding her for a moment.

"Cesare!" she cried, relief flooding her as she recognized the man jumping out of the car. "Call an ambulance! We were mugged."

"No time," Cesare muttered, crouching on the other side of Edward. "We have to disappear before they return to finish him."

Her heart froze. "Who?"

"I don't know, but the rest of security is gone; no contact with them. Something strange is going on."

She swallowed. "You mean that someone…" she couldn't finish, realizing her greatest fear.

"There's no time to talk. We must move him to the car." He took Edward behind the arms, pulling him onto the backseat, Bella pressing on the wound the entire time to control the bleeding.

"Where to?" Cesare asked as they sped up the street a minute later.

"Harborview," Bella answered. "It's the closest hospital from here."

All the way to the hospital Cesare drove like a madman. Bella saw something like that only in the movies when James Bond was behind the wheel. Despite the heavy traffic within twenty minutes they were pulling up in front of the hospital.

Cesare ran to get help while Bella stayed in the backseat, keeping eye contact with Edward. He didn't lose consciousness, which was a very good sign, but he was obviously in a lot of pain, his eyes terrified. She'd never seen him so scared before. He tried to say something, but she shushed him.

"Don't talk, save your energy. Help is on the way; we're in front of the hospital. They will stitch you up in no time and give you something for the pain. You'll be all right."

"Bella?" she heard an unbelievable voice calling her name.

Looking up she saw Peter, a male nurse, who often helped her with the heavier patients. He stood by the car's open door; she didn't recognize the other two men who were pushing an emergency bed stretcher who came up behind him.

"We were mugged," she explained. "They cut his throat with a knife. Help him! Quickly, please."

Peter nodded. "Ok, let's move him gently onto the stretcher."

As soon as Edward was on the stretcher, they began wheeling him into the ER. Bella tried to run with them, holding on to Edward's hand, but she couldn't keep up with their pace with her pregnant belly right in front of her.

Cesare caught her arm, pulling her back as the doctor began working on Edward. She didn't know the doctor; he had to be new, because she knew everyone in the ER. He looked young, too young. She hoped that he knew what he was doing. She'd seen too many young doctors straight out of med school that became green in the face and sick to their stomach when they had to stitch up their first flesh wound.

"They will take care of him now, let them do their job," Cesare said. "Sit down, Mrs. Cullen. You shouldn't be on your feet for too long. Sit down, please," he repeated when she resisted. "You've had enough stress today, sit." He walked her to the row of plastic chairs perched against the wall, making her sit down on one of them. "Boss didn't lose his consciousness. That's a good sign," he added.

Bella nodded. "It is."

"He'll be fine," Cesare assured.

The nurse pulled the curtain, separating Edward from their view.

Bella wanted to be in there by his side, helping them, but she knew that they didn't need her assistance.

"Thank you," she said, looking up at Cesare. "If you hadn't come, I don't know what would have happened. I was begging for help, shouted for someone to hear me, but there was no one out there. How can that be? We were in the middle of a big city, but there were no cars, no passersby, nothing."

Cesare shook his head in slow motion. "Something isn't adding up here. It's too much of a coincidence."

"You said that the rest of bodyguards were gone."

He leaned down, whispering to her. "That's right. They were supposed to wait in front of the Boss' apartment, but there was no one there. I tried calling them, but nothing. Then, you and the Boss weren't returning by the time you should have, and I had a feeling in my gut that something was wrong."

"I shouldn't have insisted on a walk," she blamed herself. "I was so stupid."

"You couldn't know. They must have been observing him for some time, both of you, waiting for the right time; they wanted to make it look like a robbery, accident, and not a planned assassination."

"But who?" she repeated her earlier question.

"That I don't know, not my business. But I'm sure that Boss has his suspicions. He has many enemies in his line of work."

That was true. He had enemies. It hadn't been the first time that someone had attempted to kill him.

Bella put her bloodied hand on Cesare's arm. "You rescued him, saved his life. Thank you."

Cesare shrugged. "That's my job."

"Thank you," Bella repeated, staring into his eyes.

A young male voice caught Bella's attention. "I hear that you're the next of kin of the patient who was brought in with a knife wound."

She looked up to see the young doctor who had worked on Edward.

"Yes, I'm his wife." She stood up slowly, wincing at the sudden pain in her lower back. "We were mugged," she said, ignoring her discomfort.

The young doctor glanced down at her bloodied hands, his eyes staying for a moment to her bump enhanced by the elegant form fitted coat she'd bought in Las Vegas. "Good job on stopping the bleeding," he said. "You knew what to do, great job."

She nodded. "I've been a trauma nurse upstairs for the last couple of years," she gave as an explanation. "How is he?"

"Weak but conscious, he lost a considerable amount of blood but he won't need a transfusion. His heartbeat and blood pressure are satisfactory. We're going to keep him overnight. He was very lucky that his artery wasn't damaged. He will have a nasty scar, but no long lasting effects, I hope."

"Thank you, Doctor," Bella said sincerely.

"You can see him before we transport him upstairs. Remember to take care of the paperwork."

"Of course, thank you again, Doctor,' she said, moving past him, walking to the white screen separating Edward from the rest of the room.

She put an encouraging smile on her face before stepping behind the curtain. He shouldn't see her sad and terrified.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Bella stepped behind the curtain, her eyes landing on Edward, quickly assessing his state, assuring her that he was fine. His face was clean from blood, and his coat and navy blue blazer were both unbuttoned and pulled wide apart. The white t-shirt which he had been wearing underneath was cut open down to his stomach to allow better access to his neck. The fresh dressing was attached to his throat from his ears to collarbones, covering the cut entirely.

Bella wanted to have a close look at his throat, but it could wait until the next wound dressing change. Her hands were dirty, and she wouldn't dare cause him any additional discomfort by reattaching the gauze just to feed her curiosity, and checking if the doctor had done a decent job in applying the stitches.

Edward turned his head in her direction. "Bella," he whispered, his eyes meeting hers.

"No, don't speak," she said, coming quickly to his other side, so he wouldn't have to move his head to the injured side. "I talked with the doctor who stitched you up; everything's well." She combed his hair away from his forehead in a comforting gesture, smiling reassuringly. "The artery isn't damaged."

His right hand reached blindly to her midsection. "You're ok?" he croaked his eyes wide and panicked. "The baby? Is he ok?"

"We're fine, just fine,' she soothed as she kept stroking his hair. She helped his hand find a way under her coat; placing it on her hard belly. "See, the baby's fine.'

His hand pressed against the side of her stomach, a deep frown appearing between his eyebrows. "He isn't moving."

"He's fast asleep at this hour as always," she reminded him. "Wait a few hours and he'll start kicking up a storm just when it's time for his mum to go to sleep."

"I want a doctor to look at you," he insisted. "Perform an ultrasound."

She was about to argue with him, stating the she was fine, but then she quickly changed her mind. There was no reason to upset him even more than he already was in his current state. Above all, he needed to calm down.

"I'll see the obstetrician later," she promised.

"Now," he whispered, his voice turning hoarse.

"As soon as possible, all right? Don't say anything, rest." She leaned down, kissing his forehead. "You have lost a lot of blood. You need to rest and regain your strength."

He closed his eyes, tears running down his cheeks.

She moved her hand to his heart. It was racing. She would have to ask the doctor to give him a mild sedative to ease his anxiety.

"You're safe," she murmured, leaning down. "We both love you, your son and I. You need to get better quickly so you can take care of us."

A strangled sound came deep down from his throat. "Shush, the worst is over," she whispered, kissing his forehead and salty eyelids.

His arm went around her, trying to pull her closer. She brought his hand to her face, kissing the inside of it. "Don't move, you shouldn't be moving, don't strain yourself." She placed his hand on her chest, keeping it there. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

He shook his head slightly. "They gave me something… I'm numb. I didn't even feel it when they were stitching me up."

"That's good. They'll take you upstairs soon. You'll have to stay overnight to make sure everything's ok with the wound."

His eyes kept her gaze, his hand squeezing hers almost painfully. "I heard… I think that I heard Cesare telling you that they wanted to finish me. Who?"

"Don't think about it now," she said, but he pulled at her hand, bringing her closer.

"Who was behind it? Tell me," he breathed into her face, trying to lift up.

She pushed him onto his back. She didn't want to add to his burden at the moment when he was so shaken, but she was aware that not knowing the truth and guessing would be even worse for him.

"Cesare thinks that something strange is going on," she explained. "He says that he has had no contact with the rest of the security team as if they've disappeared."

The lines around his eyes tightened, he was getting red in the face, his eyes bulging, his fingers clenching into fists.

"Easy," she cooed. "You can't do anything about it now. You have to concentrate on getting better."

Some of the tension seemed to leave his body, but she could see that his mind was already working on possible solutions.

"Call my parents and Emmett," he ordered.

"That man took our phones," she reminded him. "But I'll ask Cesare to call them if he hasn't already done so."

Edward squeezed her hand again. "He is to be by your side the entire time."

"He is, he's taking good care of me."

He tugged sharply at her hand. "The entire time!" he hissed.

"Try not to speak," she pleaded. "You must rest."

Edward appeared to listen to her this time, closing his eyes, his grip on her hand loosening.

The curtain separating them from the rest of the busy ER was drawn open. "Time to get your hubby upstairs, Bella," Peter, said, coming to stand behind her.

"I demand the obstetrician see her," Edward ordered, in his rudest tone.

"We'll make sure of that, Mr. Cullen," Peter answered calmly, not affected by Edward's hostile attitude.

Bella knew that he was used to it - they all were, had to be in order to survive in the hospital for more than a week. Badly injured and sick patients often had little control over their emotions.

"We take care of our people," Peter assured. "Bella will go to see a doctor and you, Mr. Cullen, will be taken to your room where you'll spend the night."

As they were wheeling Edward down the corridor to the elevator, Cesare jumped from his chair by the wall, walking by his boss' side.

"Stay by her side, don't let her out of your sight for a minute, a second!" he said, his eyes beseeching. "Make sure that she sees a doctor!"

Cesare nodded. "She'll be safe, boss."

"Call my brother and my father," Edward added, before the elevator closed.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Bella!" she heard her name as she waddled slowly down the corridor to Edward's room, Cesare by her side. As Edward had ordered him, Cesare hadn't left her out of his sight for even a second sans the time she was with the doctor.

Glancing over her shoulder, Bella saw Angela waving at her from the nurse's station.

Bella turned to face her friend, who was running towards her.

"I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that you were mugged."

Angela hugged her. "That's horrible. Are you all right?"

Bella returned her embrace before pulling back. "I'm fine; it's Edward who was hurt."

"I know, I saw him, his family is here now."

"That's good; he wanted to see them."

"He asked me if you saw a doctor, have you? Is the baby all right?"

Bella nodded. "He's fine; I'm just having back pains. I am to rest for the next two-three days."

"Then you should, you can't ignore it."

"I won't," Bella assured her friend.

"Do you need anything?" Angela asked. "I need to run to the ER; a car crash just came in, but later…"

"Go," Bella interrupted her, reaching down to squeeze her hand. "I'm staying overnight with Edward; we can talk later."

"Ok." Angela smiled, gripping her hand shortly before running to the elevator.

Bella waved at her friend until she disappeared in the elevator, before resuming her slow walk. In a way, she was jealous of Angela. She missed work. She was going crazy sitting at home, having so little to do.

"That's boss' room," Cesare pointed to a door guarded by two men. Bella had seen their faces before but usually, they weren't a part of Edward's closest security. She was pretty sure that one of them had been with Edward in Las Vegas.

She could hear voices coming from the inside of the room. It was good that Edward was with his family and had proper protection. She'd been worried about him being alone as she'd waited with Cesare to see the obstetrician.

"We can't eliminate the possibility," she heard Emmett's raised voice.

Edward began to say something, but his brother interrupted him. "Bro, I know that you love her, and I think the world of her, but she's not a saint. She was the one who suggested that you walk without security. Don't you find that strange?"

"She wanted some fresh air, but she didn't say a word about leaving security behind," Edward defended her. "It was my carelessness and stupidity that I let Cesare go. I thought nothing could happen during the ten-minute walk from the restaurant to my apartment in a safe neighborhood."

Emmett wasn't convinced. "I'm not so sure. She ran away from you before, more than once," he reminded. "She treated you like a piece of shit that accidently got stuck to her perfect little life. That was one opportunity for her to get rid of you once and for all. She could have made an agreement with Montiglio or even the FBI. Remember that she never wanted you to learn about your child. She doesn't want you to be a father or her husband."

"Shut up, Emmett, just shut up," Edward hissed. "Don't you dare speak about her that way! Your arguments are nonsensical. She wouldn't hurt a fly; she's the best person I know. Can't you see that she saved my life; I would have bled to death if she hadn't been there with me. She could have simply walked away, left me there, but she didn't. She stayed until Cesare found us. She stopped the bleeding."

"Or she lost her nerve and got scared that she would be accused of murder …"

"Get out of here!" Edward roared in a strained voice. "You won't speak about her like that. Get out!"

Seconds later, the door pushed open, and Emmett stepped forward. His eyes landed on her; his expression was cold and angry. "Are you happy now?" he spat, before marching down the corridor to the elevator.

Bella turned on her heels, with every intention to leave, but was met with Cesare, blocking her way.

"Mrs. Cullen is back from her appointment with the obstetrician," Cesare announced loudly pushing the door open, which had just closed behind Emmett.

She glanced quickly around the room, seeing Esme and Carlisle in the room. She stepped inside, careful not to meet anyone's gaze.

"How are you, Bella?" Esme gently asked, standing in front of her.

"Fine," she clipped, not lifting her eyes.

"And my grandchild? You've seen a doctor?"

Bella gave a slight nod of her head, still not returning the woman's gaze. "The baby's fine."

To her surprise, Esme stepped forward, a wave of sweet, but heavy perfume enveloped Bella's senses as her mother-in-law hugged her. "Thank you, darling, for being there for my son when he needed you."

Bella patted Esme's back stiffly, not being able to return her warm gesture after what she had just heard about herself from Emmett.

"Carlisle, it's time for us to go," Esme said energetically, walking to Edward's side.

As the Cullens said goodbyes to their son, Bella stood silently in the corner far away from them. Esme didn't seem to think the worst of her like Emmett did, but she wasn't so sure about Carlisle. He'd said nothing to her since she'd come in, but he rarely spoke much to anyone so perhaps she shouldn't take his guarded attitude personally.

"Come here," Edward said, extending his hand to her as soon as they were left alone.

She came to stand by his bed, still wary. She couldn't get Emmett's words out of her mind. Now, she knew what the Cullens really thought about her, apart from Esme, perhaps.

"Love, don't take this to heart," he said, somehow managing to lift her onto the bed, so she could lie down on her side. She snuggled to him, her head on his chest.

"Don't mind Emmett, he has good intentions but loses control and sound judgment in stressful situations. That's the reason he's not running the business even though he was very eager to when he was younger."

"He's right, partially at least," she spoke in a small voice. "I insisted on walking home; I put you in danger…"

"Don't talk nonsense,' he scolded gently." If anything, you rescued me, and now we are certain that there's a real danger. They have uncovered their cards; it's their mistake."

"Who?" She looked up at him. "Who's behind that? I heard Emmett mentioning Montiglio. Was this on his order?"

Edward hesitated, giving her the impression that he couldn't decide how much to tell her. "That's possible," he allowed at last.

"What about the bodyguards who disappeared?"

"I doubt that we'll ever hear from them again, or find them for that matter. They were stupid enough to agree to this, now they're going to pay for it, if they haven't already."

She lifted onto her elbow. "Will they try to hurt you again?"

"I don't think so. For some reason, they wanted to make it look like an accident. They have made their move, now it's time for ours."

She opened her mouth to ask the next question. She wanted to know if what had happened could have something to do with the fact that Edward had given Miazga away to the FBI, but Edward but his finger on her mouth, silencing her.

"Let's not talk about this now. Tell me what the obstetrician said."

His hand wandered to her belly, stroking it.

She smiled. "We're fine. My blood pressure is a bit too high, and I have some back pain, but it's a normal reaction to such a stressful situation. I'm to take it easy for the next two, three days, rest, and not take any long walks."

His arms tightened around her. "Thank you God that everything is well." He kissed the top of her head repeatedly.

A knock at the door interrupted their intimate moment. Bella wanted to get off the bed, but Edward stopped her.

"Dr. Phillips!" she exclaimed as she saw the older doctor walking into the room. It was good to see his familiar, kind face.

"You know the rules, Nurse Swan, no hopping on the patient's bed," he joked, helping her to her feet.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Phillips, that won't happen again."

"I hope not." He touched her belly. "When are you due?"

She grinned proudly. "Late May."

"Then, I expect you back at work in September."

Bella glanced at Edward, who was frowning disapprovingly.

"I'm not sure, Dr. Phillips. I thought I would stay home with the baby for a year or two."

"No eager grandmas to babysit?"

Bella instantly thought about Esme. She knew that Edward's mother would be delighted to take care of her grandson, even on a daily basis if Bella wanted to return to work.

"Grandmothers are very eager to babysit, but I can't imagine leaving the baby alone when he's very little." She touched her belly with both hands.

Dr. Phillips nodded. "I understand your concern, but you shouldn't allow yourself to get out of practice. I can recommend you to a very good free clinic; you could work there part-time until you're ready to resume a normal schedule in the hospital."

"Thank you," Bella said, overwhelmed by gratitude. It was good to hear that they hadn't forgotten her, and that they were waiting for her return. "Thank you so much for thinking about me. I'll consider it."

Dr. Phillips lifted his finger. "Promise."

She put a hand to her heart. "I promise."

"Good, now let's have a look at your husband." Dr. Phillips stepped to Edward. It was perhaps the first time since he'd entered the room that he looked at the patient, so far his attention had been entirely focused on Bella. "Back with us so soon, Mr. Cullen? Why am I not surprised?"

"Keep your remarks to yourself old man," Edward barked.

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed, shocked.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Cullen?" Dr. Phillips asked unfazed.

"I'm not in any pain if that's what you're suggesting," Edward answered rudely.

"Edward, be polite," Bella pleaded.

He gave her a stormy look, a mulish expression settling on his face.

The doctor scribbled something in the chart, saying. "The nurse will give you another dose of painkillers in two hours; that should keep you pain-free throughout the night."

"Thank you," Edward murmured under Bella's glare.

"You're welcome Mr. Cullen," Dr. Phillips said, signing the chart with a flourish, hanging it back. "Still, I'm not entirely sure whether you deserve it. You took away our best nurse, and now have obviously put her in danger when she's pregnant and the most vulnerable. The police were here not long ago, by the way. I told them to come tomorrow that you're not in a state to answer questions."

"Thank you, Doctor," Edward said, this time sounding much more sincere.

"I didn't do it for your benefit, Mr. Cullen," the older man said coldly, his eyes narrowed. "I talked with Dr. Morris, the obstetrician who saw Bella. The last thing she needs now is to be questioned by the police on behalf of her husband's," he paused, "let's just say, misgivings."

"Thank you, Doctor," Bella said, praying that Edward would stay silent, and restrain himself from showing his famous temper to the good doctor. "And I'm sorry for my husband," she added in a whisper.

The older man sighed, rubbing her arm reassuringly. "Are those gentlemen going to be here the entire night?" he asked pointing to the bodyguards who were guarding the door.

"Well…" Bella started unsure as to how to answer, but Dr. Phillips only waved his hand, turned on his heels and walked away, shaking his head.

"You could have picked some other hospital," Edward told her grudgingly when she returned to his side.

She gaped at him, disbelieving. What an asshole. "It was the closest one," she justified. "You were bleeding badly," she reminded him.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "So I'm considered the bad criminal here who took their beloved Bella away from them?"

She shrugged. How was she supposed to answer to that? "It seems so."

_Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

Bella moaned audibly in utter contentment, feeling Edward's fingers pressing strategically into the muscles of her lower back.

"Just a tiny bit lower," she said, straining against his hand.

"Here?" he asked, kneading a very tender spot.

"Oh, yes," she breathed, burying her face into a pillow. "Right there. So good."

After ten more minutes of diligent massage, he pulled down her sweatshirt, covering her naked back. "Enough for now. My hand will fall off in a moment if I keep going."

She turned on her back, looking into his face. "Thank you, that was heavenly, and I wouldn't mind you doing that all day long to me."

He smiled. "I noticed."

"You can't blame me," she noted. "The baby is beginning to put strain on my spine. I think he will be big when he is born," she mused. "Michelle was eight pounds and girls are, usually, smaller."

His arm wrapped around her, bringing her closer. "You can't imagine how proud it makes me seeing you like this."

"You mean huge, uncomfortable and awkward?" she snorted.

He kissed the top of her head. "So beautiful, heavy with my baby."

She let out a happy sigh, curling into his chest. She loved being with Edward at home when they were alone, just the two of them, nobody bothering them, just like now.

Three days had passed since Edward had been released from the hospital. He had insisted that she had to have some quality rest, and she had demanded the same from him. As a result, they had mostly slept through the last few days. Food was delivered to them twice a day from Bella's favorite restaurant. They had barely left the bed and then only when it was necessary.

Bella loved that Edward had stayed home with her - at least he was safe here. It took her by surprise how much she needed these past two days to wind down, and realize how tired she really was. She'd slept like a log.

There was no escape from reality, however – it was lurking right around the corner, and they would have to face it. It was just a matter of time before Edward would have to leave home and deal with matters as he often phrased it. She hated that, but she was well aware that it was coming. She'd even overheard him speaking on the phone a few times in a hushed voice when he'd thought that she was sleeping. But for now, he was here with her in his arms, snuggled in bed together, not going anywhere.

"Bella?" he whispered.

"Mmm...?" she murmured lazily, her eyes closed.

"We need to talk about what happened and about our immediate future."

She stilled in his arms. She knew that this conversation was coming but why so soon?

"Tomorrow," she told him, burying deeper into his embrace. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Today," he insisted gently, but firmly. "We can't hole up here forever; I can't do that." He pushed away from her, cupping her cheek. "Look at me." When he was certain that he had her full attention, he said. "I have to deal with matters, and the sooner, the better."

"I hate to think that you will go out there; somebody hurting you again. I can't bear it."

He watched her perceptively, as if not believing her. "A few weeks ago you didn't want to have anything to do with me," he reminded her, raw hurt in his voice and expression.

"That doesn't mean that I ever wished that anything bad would happen to you. I never wanted that."

He rolled onto his back, his eyes fixated on the ceiling.

"I am trying to get over the fact that you ran away from me, deliberately hiding the news about the baby from me. I am really trying, but it's difficult. I still can't wrap my mind around how you, out of all people could do that. I trusted you with everything. I would have never thought that you… doesn't matter."

"You know why I left," she defended herself. "I missed you when we were apart every single day, but I just couldn't get over what I read in that article.'

"Sometimes I doubt that you will ever accept me, who I am, what I'm doing, where my family comes from."

Bella watched him silently for a long moment. He looked so lost and somehow resigned, sad too. "You said yourself once that you wanted something normal, that you took interest in me because I wasn't a part of your world," she reminded him. "How did you imagine a relationship with someone like me? What did you expect? Did you think that I would accept everything without question, without a word of doubt or protest when I didn't agree with something you did?"

"I don't know. I thought…," he hesitated. "I thought that you would be less… terrified and more trusting. You make me question everything."

"Less terrified?" she cried unbelievably. "Your enemies sent someone to cut your throat right in front of me. How can I not be terrified?"

"I'm pretty sure now that they somehow managed to find out that it was me who tipped Miazga to the FBI, or at least they suspect something of the kind. They're not pleased with the fact that I gave away a very profitable business." He turned his head to look at her. "I did it because of you and for you. I felt ashamed of myself; you made me feel that."

"So your brother is right after all. It is my entire fault," she summarized. "If I hadn't entered your life you would still be selling newborn babies, taking them from their mothers."

He ran a hand over his face, groaning loudly. "Christ, I don't regret that I am finished with it, far from that. You can't imagine how good and light I felt when I helped to put Miazga in jail, when they closed his establishments in Europe. But now, I have to bear the consequences of my actions. I need to consider my next move very carefully. I can't show them that I am weak. I have responsibilities, first of all to you and to our child, then to my family."

Bella sat up, supporting herself against the upholstered headboard, her hands overlapping her bump. "What do you expect from me?"

He looked directly at her. "I will have to go away on business for the next couple of weeks, perhaps a month. You can't go with me; you shouldn't. I need to have a clear head, and not think about your being alone, worrying where I am, and what I'm doing. You would end up sitting in a hotel for the entire day, like when we were in Las Vegas. Even when I'm back in Seattle for a couple of days, I'll scarcely be home."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Emmett's going with me. Rosalie will be staying with my parents and Alice. She'll be safe there, have company and the much-needed help with little Michelle."

"You want me to go to live with them?" she guessed. She didn't want that. She hated the idea. She didn't mind Rosalie and Michelle. On the contrary, she loved them, but living with Carlisle and Esme for the last months of her pregnancy, closed up in that huge house was something unimaginable for her.

"That would be advisable but I thought that you would feel much better with your family, staying at your parents' house again. I already called them, and they're very happy to welcome you back."

She gaped at him. "You talked to my dad?"

"Your mother, actually. She's thrilled. I thought that we could go tomorrow."

Her heart sank. "So soon?"

He gave her a serious look. "There is no time to waste."

Bella looked down. Did she have any other choice but to agree? Not really. At least he was willing to let her stay with her parents and not his. She should be grateful that he understood that. It lightened her heart and uplifted her spirits that he was keeping her side over his family. She could well imagine that Carlisle and Esme would prefer her staying with them and Rosalie under their control and not in Forks.

Perhaps he cared for her after all, what she felt and needed, and not just in that weird possessive-macho way he liked to display?

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella stared out of the window at the quickly passing scenery. Spring was coming early this year with fresh patches of grass already covering the wet ground in many places. Edward was driving a brand new SUV, with the security team following right behind them in a black BMW.

The SUV was for her, in her name. They'd picked it up from the car dealership this morning. Edward was deaf to her arguments that she already had a good car, only three years old, waiting for her in her parent's garage. He deemed her Toyota too small and altogether not good enough. He wanted a reliable Mummy car for her, as he explained something big and sturdy, with excellent safety measures. All she was allowed to do was to pick a color. He grimaced just slightly when she pointed out to a dark plum colored model, but didn't protest.

She had to admit that she was grateful for the gift, and could not wait to drive it herself. The new car was not only very comfortable and spacious, but beautifully made, and luxurious with its leather interior and heated seats.

"Hey," Edward said, tipping her chin. "You're awfully quiet today. You're all right?"

She gave him a hard look. "You have to ask why I'm quiet."

He sighed, his shoulders sinking. "It's just for a couple of weeks," he gently reminded her. "And you're going to be safe here. Cesare is staying with you; he's rented something for himself in town, just two houses away from your parents' residence. He will accompany you to your doctor's appointments, and you can call him anytime you need to, even in the middle of the night."

"I don't want you to go away; I don't like it. I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen," she confessed, her voice shaking, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Bella, love, we talked about this."

"No, you talked about it!" she hissed.

"Be reasonable," he pleaded.

In response, she pressed her lips into a tight line, looking away from him.

He didn't say anything else. To be fair, nothing that he would say now, could placate her in her current mood.

Within half an hour, they were entering the outskirts of Forks. The familiar views of her home town calmed her somehow. She decided to put on a good front for her parents' sake. They didn't need to see her crying. She could easily imagine her father going ballistic, jumping to Edward's throat at the sight of her distress.

Pulling herself together, she put on a brave face. As soon as Edward parked the car in the driveway of her childhood home, her mother ran out.

"Bella, baby!" she cried, hugging her hard when Edward helped her out of the car. "How are my daughter and grandson?"

She smiled. "We're fine, Mum," she assured her, returning the embrace.

"You grew again," Renee observed, touching her stomach.

"Yes, and there are still two months to go. He is going to be a big baby."

Renee pulled away from her, locking her eyes on Edward. They both decided that it wasn't necessary to tell her parents about the mugging incident. Edward had worn a turtle neck sweater under his jacket, effectively hiding the thin wound dressing which he was still wearing.

"At last, I am to meet my son-in-law, it's long overdue if I may say so," Renee said.

Renee stared a bit too long at Edward to consider it polite when meeting a new person. It was obvious that she was impressed with his looks. He looked beautiful as always, in his black sweater, grey jacket, and washed out jeans. Bella couldn't blame her mother for her reaction.

Edward introduced himself then and turned on the full gentleman vibe, going as far as kissing the older woman's hand.

Renee was charmed and delighted with the attention she was being given, blushing and giggling shamelessly. "Oh, my, oh my, Bella, my grandson will be a heartbreaker if he takes after his father," she gushed, fanning herself.

"Don't count on it, Mum," Bella told her dryly. "Remember that the boys in the family take after their mothers, Dad looks like Grandma Swan, and Riley is the spitting image of you, Edward also resembles his mother."

"Come in, come in!" Renee exclaimed, ignoring her remark entirely. "Dinner is almost ready. You must be hungry."

Bella hesitated. "Where's Dad?"

Renee waved her hand. "Oh, don't worry honey. He'll be on his best behavior."

She was doubtful. "Really?"

"Trust me. He'll behave. I explained to him that stress caused by the constant fighting between your father and the father of your child is the last thing you need in your condition. And I threatened him with being in the doghouse; he doesn't like to sleep on the couch. It always works." She winked at her.

Bella blushed. Really, couldn't her mother be less open about certain matters? "I hope so," she murmured.

"Riley and Charlie should be back any minute," Renee explained. "I sent them to Port Angeles to buy the maple syrup you like so much. They don't always have it in Forks, at least not the brand you prefer."

As if on cue, her father's truck roared within earshot. Charlie parked right next to the SUV, Riley getting out of the car first.

"Bella, Edward!" the boy cried, running to them.

They both greeted him warmly for a moment forgetting about Charlie.

"Hey, Dad," Bella said, looking at her father.

Charlie was observing her keenly from head to toe as if checking to see that every single part of her was in place.

"How are you, Bells?" Charlie asked, his voice shaking with emotion. "You're all right?"

She nodded, smiling. "Just fine, Dad," she said, stepping into his embrace. She felt his arms come around her as he pressed her into his chest. She smelled his familiar scent, a combination of outdoors, fish, sweat, beer, and the cologne he'd gotten from Renee.

"That's good; that's good," he grunted in a thick voice, patting her back, kissing the top of her head.

Slowly, she stepped away from his embrace. For a moment, she felt irritated when Edward draped his arm around her, and pulled her closer to him, as if marking his possession. After all, everyone could see that she was his and taken by looking at her midsection.

"Chief Swan," he said with obvious respect, extending his hand.

Charlie huffed and frowned in response to the gesture, but after a glare from his wife, who menacingly mouthed his name, he reluctantly accepted his son-in-law's hand, shaking it shortly.

"Come inside, come inside," he exclaimed, pulling Bella by her arm away from Edward. "It's getting cold, and I don't want my baby girl to get sick."

With that, he earned himself a fierce scowl from Renee, who smacked his chest. "Are you blind my husband?" she cried, her hands on her hips. "She's not a baby girl anymore, look at her, she'll have her own baby in a few weeks."

"She'll always be my baby girl," Charlie defended himself, clearly offended.

"Old fool," Renee murmured, shaking her head.

Charlie and Renee walked into the house first, together with Riley, with Bella and Edward following a few steps behind them.

"This is going to be fun," Edward whispered into her ear.

"I don't know what you mean," Bella said. "Dad's on his best behavior today."

"I guess you're right, that's an improvement," he agreed. "He hasn't tried to shoot me...Yet."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen," she huffed at him, stepping onto the porch.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"So, Mr. Cullen," Charlie said just as they were finishing the first course. "My wife tells me that you're going away on business for the next couple of weeks."

Edward looked over at Bella before answering. "Yes, sir."

"That must be some important business if you have decided to leave your very pregnant wife all alone," Charlie mused.

"Charlie," Renee said with a warning in her voice eyeing her husband with a fierce glare. "He's not leaving her all alone, but with her closest family. Remember what we talked about? You promised to behave yourself," she added quietly.

"If he has decided to take responsibilities as a father then he should treat them seriously, not push it on others, even her closest family," Charlie fired back.

Bella stood up abruptly, causing the plates to clatter. "Dad, Edward has never neglected his responsibilities as a father. It was I who withheld the information about being pregnant from him. And you were all for it if I remember correctly!"

"Bella, honey, sit down, I'll deal with him," Renee assured her, patting her hand. Bella listened to her mother, lowering slowly onto the chair.

Renee stood from the table, walking to the kitchen door. "Charles Swan, may I talk with you for a moment? Alone?"

Charlie grunted something unintelligible under his breath but obediently stood up and followed his wife.

"We'll be right back with the second course," Renee said brightly, before pushing Charlie inside the kitchen.

If Charlie and Renee talked, they had to do it quietly because no sound reached the living room. About five minutes later, they returned with potatoes and meat.

Charlie loaded a heap of food on his plate and began eating, his eyes on the table.

"So, Edward," Renee said looking over at him. "Bella's been telling me that you're planning on buying a new house for you, her and the baby."

Edward nodded. "We haven't had much time to look so far, but Bella is in contact with a real estate agent. We live in a loft, and so far, it's been big enough for us, but with open space everywhere, it isn't suitable for a family. We would have to rebuild it completely. It's easier to simply find something more family oriented. "

"Oh, I agree; those lofts are charming, but a bit cold and not very homely. My high school friend lives with her husband in something similar. They sold their home and moved into an old gloves factory in Port Angeles. I don't know how they can fall asleep with such high ceilings."

Edward offered her a smile, clearly not being sure how to reply.

"What kind of house are you considering?" Renee asked, not deterred with his silence.

"I don't care," he admitted. "At first I thought about something similar to my parent's estate, in the same neighborhood, but Bella doesn't want to move to the suburbs. She prefers to stay in the city. And as long as she's happy, I am too. The most important thing is that we're together."

"Aww, that's so sweet," Renee gushed leaning towards him. "If my husband didn't tell me that you were a Mafia boss, I would never have believed it."

"Thank you, I guess," Edward replied uneasily after a moment of awkward silence.

"Mum!" Bella whispered-yelled, frowning at Renee.

The older woman put on an innocent expression shrugging her small shoulders. "What?" she whispered back, smiling and winking at Edward simultaneously.

"I think that something close to a park would be nice," Renee voiced her opinion. "So you could take the baby for walks every day."

"That's a very good suggestion," Edward agreed politely. "Park vicinity is an important factor."

They began to eat in silence, and Bella sincerely hoped that it was the end of the conversation for tonight, the elephant in the room had been addressed, after all. But, she had no such luck. Her mother was on a roll.

"I hope that you're looking for something with a spare room for a guest bedroom," Renee said directly to Edward. "I would be more than happy to come and visit to help Bella with the baby. From my experience, I know how hard the first weeks can be. When Bella was born, I was all alone. Charlie was in the army, and my parents just washed their hands, not offering any help. Sometimes, I thought that I would go crazy closed up in that small apartment with a screaming baby all day long."

"I assure you that Bella won't be alone. I intend on taking some time off once the baby is born to help her, a few weeks at least. Plus, my mother is willing to babysit, even though she will have two grandbabies now, and I imagine that she will want to divide her time fairly between the two of them. But you're always invited to visit, Mrs. Swan, with Riley, and you too, sir, of course" he said, glancing at Charlie. "I want my son to have a close relationship with his grandparents."

"Well, I don't know about Charlie, but you can count on me, and please call me Renee, or Mum if you want." Renee giggled. At least she refrained herself from winking this time.

Edward smiled, relaxing slightly. "Very well, Renee," he said, earning a beaming smile from his mother-in-law.

"I will come to," Charlie voiced gruffly from his meatloaf. "Just to make sure that everything is all right."

"How are you feeling?" Bella asked, coming to stand next to Edward, who was sitting in an armchair in her childhood bedroom in just his pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"Fine," he smiled, looking up at her. "I'm glad that's over. And, I survived."

"I know that my mother can be rather intense," Bella said. "But her intentions are the best."

"Come here," he murmured, pulling her onto his lap.

"You're sure about it?" she joked. "I may crush you."

"Silly girl," he scolded, leaning back in the armchair, wrapping his hands about her protectively.

"I think that you're mum is a very smart woman, very astute, and in a way, cleverer than your father," he mused rubbing her bump. "A true diplomat."

"What makes you think so?"

"Well, in the short conversation that she had with me, she insured herself a standing invitation to our home as well as learning about our immediate plans. She did it all without the anger and hostility displayed by your father. She wanted to make sure that she would be present in your life, as well as her grandson's."

Bella went silent for a moment before replying. "Yes, I guess she did," she agreed.

"By the way, does she always talk so much?"

"Yeah, usually."

"You're not that talkative."

"I'm more like my dad in that respect; Riley is more like mum."

"I noticed."

She placed her head on his shoulder. "It was nice when you invited my Mum to visit."

He kissed her temple. "I was serious about wanting our son to know his grandparents."

"Even Charlie?"

"Despite his animosity towards me, which let's face it, can be easily justified, he has raised two wonderful children. I wouldn't mind our boy ending up like Riley."

"Thank you for that, I mean for making sure that I stay close with my family. I guess I didn't expect that. It's quite a surprise."

He sighed, tightening his hold on her. "You may not believe it, but I do want you to be happy."

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Bella blinked her eyes, trying to make out the shapes and contours in the grey light sipping through the lacy curtain. How early could it be? She reached her hand behind her to find an empty space.

"Edward," she croaked, sitting up, looking around in confusion.

She breathed in relief seeing him bent over his overnight bag, zipping it up. He hadn't left, not yet.

"You wanted to leave without saying goodbye?" she complained.

He walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I was about to wake you up."

She yawned in her hand. "Do you have to go so early? Can't you stay for breakfast?"

"The plane will be waiting for me in Port Angeles in less than an hour, the car is already here."

She supported her head on his shoulder, trying to wind her arms around his waist despite the obstacle of her protruding belly. She tightly held on to him, imagining the he wouldn't go if she didn't let go of him.

"I'm scared," she whispered, her eyes pinching and watering.

A tortured sigh escaped him. "Don't be. You're safe, and the baby too. I promise that no harm will come to either..."

"They don't want to harm me," she interrupted, pulling away from him. "You haven't even told me exactly where you are going, or whom you'll meet there."

"I don't want you to agonize over it."

"You think that if I know nothing I will worry less? That's some logic," she huffed.

He cupped her face. "You have to be strong. In a few weeks, this will all be over. We'll be happy, you, me and our baby boy."

Tears were pouring down her cheeks now. She couldn't stop them.

"Christ, don't cry." He tried to wipe the wetness with the back of his palms.

"Can't," she choked on a sob.

He pulled her into his arms, rocking her until the sobbing ceased, and she had calmed down.

"Take good care of yourself," he pleaded, stroking her back. "I left you some cash on the dresser, buy whatever you need or want." He kissed her neck, inhaling her scent.

She let out a shaky breath.

"I'll be fine," she promised. "But you, you have to swear that you'll return to us."

"I swear. One month, no longer."

She nodded, holding his gaze. "You'll call every single day."

"I will."

They stared at one another. Was there anything more left to say?

"I'll walk you to the car," she said, throwing the covers off.

"No," he stopped her. "Stay here. It's cold outside."

She was about to argue, but then she changed her mind. "I'll wave from the window then.'

"Ok," he agreed, standing up. "Call Cesare whenever you need him. No matter what the hour, even in the middle of the night if you need something, anything, I don't know a bar of chocolate or ice-cream. He's at your beck and call."

"Fine."

He put on his jacket and grabbed his bag.

He was opening the door when he turned his head back at her. "I love you, both of you."

He waited for a moment, clearly expecting her to say something back, but she didn't. The right words he wanted to hear were locked in her throat.

A moment later he was gone. She realized that she should have told him that she loved him too. In a way, he was like a soldier going to war to fight for his family's safety and their future.

Those few shorts words heard from his pregnant wife would surely help him even if Bella wasn't entirely sure if she meant them. Suddenly, she had this ugly gut feeling that something horrible would happen to him if she didn't tell him 'I love you.'

Instead of going to the window, she ran to the door, on her way grabbing her robe and bunny slippers.

"Edward," she cried, running out of the house. "Edward!" she yelled, but the black car was already pulling away quickly. She kept running down the road, hoping that they would notice her and stop.

The BMW stopped seconds later, the back door opening, Edward getting out.

"What's wrong?" He ran to her. He put his arms around her, steadying her.

"…wanted to tell you," she rushed, out of breath. "We love you too, I mean I love you."

He grinned. "I thought that you said that at the hospital, but I wasn't sure after all those drugs they had given me." He stroked her cheek. "Good to hear it again."

She smiled back. "Be back soon."

He gently kissed her lips. "As soon as possible. And now, let's walk you back to the house. It's freezing, and you're just in your pajamas. What were you thinking in running like that?" he scolded, but there was happiness evident in his tone and expression.

He left her on the porch where she waved at the car until she couldn't see it any longer.

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After Edward's departure, Bella couldn't return to sleep even though it was still very early. She found herself rather thirsty and walked into the kitchen around six – thirty. She expected to find it quiet and deserted.

Both of her parents were sitting at the table, dressed in their everyday clothes, Renee wearing her usual work gear - black tailored pants, elegant blouse and a matching cardigan. They were sipping the coffee from the oversized mugs Renee had once made for a pottery class.

"Good morning," she greeted them from the doorstep. "You're up early," she noted, walking to the fridge to pour some orange juice into a glass.

"We didn't sleep very well last night," Renee admitted exchanging a long look with Charlie.

Bella joined them at the table with her glass of juice.

"Edward's gone," she said.

Charlie nodded. "Yes, we saw from our bedroom the black BMW taking him away about an hour ago."

"Yeah," Bella confirmed, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that her parents must have seen her display of affection for her husband.

"He left the SUV," Charlie noted.

"Yes, it's for me, Edward thought my Toyota was too small, and not safe enough."

"That's a very nice car he got for you," Renee agreed. "Yesterday, he also wanted to leave some money with me," she revealed.

That brought an instant reaction from Charlie. "What for?" he barked.

"To cover the basic expenses," Renee said, sending her husband an unsure look. "For Bella and the baby."

"You didn't take it, did you?" he questioned angrily.

"No, of course not," Renee denied quickly. "But, it was thoughtful of him."

"Thoughtful, my ass," Charlie murmured. "Offensive, I would call it. Giving us money to buy food for our daughter and grandbaby. Who does he think we are? Paupers or beggars?"

"Dad." Bella reached to put a hand on his arm, hoping to calm him **down**. "I'm sure that he didn't mean anything wrong by it. He just feels guilty for leaving me alone now. He tried to rectify it in some way."

Charlie looked right at her. "Bells, you know very well that I don't like it, all of it! First he comes here uninvited when you're home alone and takes you away by force, to no one knows where. Then, he returns you here not even two weeks later married to him. And where has he gone now?" Charlie demanded. "What new monstrosity has he got himself into?" He stared at her silently for a long moment. "I suppose you won't answer me. At least, he had enough sense to leave you here with us, and not drag you with him to God knows where."

"It's not like that," Bella argued.

"Oh really?" Charlie asked, leaning back in his chair. "Then please explain it to me."

"Edward has some problems but it's not because he did something wrong, on the contrary. He was the one who gave away that Miazga guy, the one from the story about baby factories, to the FBI. Other Mafia families suspect something and are angry at him because of that."

"He told you that?" Charlie sounded unconvinced. "And you believed him, just like that." He snapped his fingers.

"It's true Dad. You may not believe it, but it's true."

Charlie kept shaking his head. "He's a hero now then? He's good, noble and wonderful," he spat.

"Charlie," Renee pleaded. "We agreed that…"

He raised his hand to stop her from saying more. "I know, sweetheart, I know. I remember what we agreed on. I will behave so we can stay present in our daughter and grandson's lives, and so we can rescue them when Cullen fucks up everything again."

With those words, Charlie stormed out of the kitchen, and out of the house.

Bella felt her mother's arms come around her. "He's just worried about you," she whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Your father needs time to learn to trust Edward. He will probably never fully trust him but hopefully, he will, to some degree."

Bella looked up at Renee. "Do you even think that's possible, Mum?"

"I don't know. But, I hope so." Giving her one more squeeze, Renee spoke in a much more cheerful voice. "Now, let's have some breakfast. You must be hungry. I remember that I was starving every morning when I was carrying you."

Bella managed a small smile.

"That's my girl," Renee said, tipping her chin up.

Thank you reading!

_Thank you reading and reviewing! _


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty **

For the last half an hour Bella had tried very hard to concentrate on her book. It was a new novel from one of her all time favorite authors. In usual circumstances she should have devoured it by now, but tonight it couldn't pin her attention. The story was great, she had no doubt about it, but her mind was wandering, refusing to cooperate.

Despite having copious amount of time on her hands she found it impossible to do anything valuable with it. Nothing held her interest. She was fed up with sitting at her parents' home doing nothing. Her thoughts were always returning to Edward- she was obsessing about where he was and what he was doing.

True to his promise he called every day, usually in the late afternoon or early evening, and those few minutes of their conversation was the only actual time when she was calm, not nervous, fidgety and oozing apprehension.

He never said where he was exactly, not to mention how his day passed, barely mentioning some meetings he was attending. He always stirred conversation in the direction of Bella and the baby, asking how she was feeling and what she was doing. It was very one sided - he asked and expected honest answers but didn't allow her the same.

Lately Edward's questions concerning her wellbeing and whereabouts had only brought anger and irritation in her. After all she was giving the same answers every day. She slept late, then had breakfast and went for a walk if the weather was nice enough. Sometimes she picked up her brother from school and often cooked dinner for the entire household when her mother was too tired to do that after long day at work. At least then Bella felt that she was needed and useful. From six in the afternoon she was waiting for Edward's call.

Even now she kept glancing at the clock on the bedside. It was five to ten and she was becoming really worried. Even more that today was her 34 weeks appointment. Edward knew about it, and was very regretful that he couldn't be with her when they'd talked yesterday. She'd expected him to call her around four right after it ended, but the hours had passed and nothing, no call, no message.

She was beginning to allow the thought that something bad might have happened to him.

She had to call him herself. She couldn't stand the unknown.

At ten o'clock sharp she reached for her phone. She waited six rings before he finally picked up.

"Bella, are you ok?" he asked, sounding out of breath. There was a loud music in the background, as if saxophone playing… weird. Where was he? At some party? In a club or restaurant?

"I'm fine," she answered evenly. "Just worried about you. You always call well before ten."

"The doctor's appointment has gone well?" he asked impatiently as if he was bothered with her and wanted to end the conversation.

"Yes, everything's all right, the doctor said that…"

"Look, baby, I have to finish," he rushed. "I can't talk now," he whispered.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Edward, where are you?" she demanded.

There was no answer, but she heard a female laughter, and some woman calling his name.

"Edward? Where are you?" she repeated but he disconnected the call.

She stared at the phone nestled in her palm for a long minute. Who was that woman, or women? Where was he? Why didn't he want to talk with her? Why did he sound so indifferent? Normally he obsessed about every detail from her doctor appointments.

He'd told her that he would be back in a month, so far five weeks had passed. Did he even care about her still? Was he in danger? She felt so confused and hurt. She knew nothing and she could do nothing, just wait. For what?

A knock at the door interrupted her dark musings. Her mother's head peeked in. "Everything's all right? Has Edward called?"

"Yeah." Bella nodded, drying her tears hastily with the back of her palm.

"What's going on?" Renee stepped into the room, closing the door.

"I'm fine," Bella assured, waving a hand in front of herself. "Just the hormones."

Renee took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Has Edward mentioned when he is coming back?"

As always her mother knew very well what was bothering her.

Bella only shook her head, new tears brimming her eyes. She didn't trust her voice.

"Oh, honey." Renee rubbed her arm. "I know you're missing him, but you have to be patient, you have to get through this, both of you, together."

Bella gave a slight nod, even managing a smile. She didn't want to worry her mother, her parents had already gone through so much because of her.

"He's been gone for so long," Bella confessed her fears. "I don't understand why he's not back already. He doesn't want to tell me anything. I'm so confused."

Renee didn't answer immediately. "I remember how pitiful I felt when I was carrying you," she said, her tone understanding and compassionate. "Can you imagine how I felt? I was eight years younger than you are, married right out of high school, without any support from my family, without a job, education, any prospects for the future life. Your father was in the army, they sent him to Afghanistan right after the initial training. I was out of my mind that he wouldn't return to me, that I would be left all alone with you. Everything was so scary. You are in a completely different position. You are older and educated, you have a good job, so many people love you and support you."

"Not to mention that my husband is a mobster," Bella deadpanned.

"Perhaps there's a reason for which you two got together?"

Bella couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "Now you'll tell me that I stumbled into his life to change him."

"Haven't you already changed him?" her mother questioned. "Perhaps you're not realizing it. You should give yourself more credit."

"I heard a woman laughter in the background when I talked with him, someone called his name too," Bella confessed.

Renee looked her straight in the eye. "You won't tell me that out of all things this worries you," she spoke harshly.

Bella blinked. "Shouldn't I be concerned?"

"You shouldn't," Renee answered flatly, without a second of hesitation. "I saw the way he looked at you. He won't look elsewhere, trust me on that."

Bella looked down. She wanted to believe her mother's words but it was hard in her current state - pregnant, swollen all over, achy and uncomfortable, far away from him.

"You know that he's away on business, surely he must attend some parties, that's understandable that there are some women around him, but that doesn't mean anything."

Bella wasn't sure if her mother spoke out of her own conviction, or just tried to improve her mood so she wouldn't worry and agonize over some strange women hitting on Edward.

"It's late. Try to get some rest," Renee said, pulling the duvet away. "Brooding won't solve anything."

Bella laid down obediently, knowing that it would be impossible for her to fall asleep now, with all those disturbing thoughts brought with Edward's call.

"Do you want some warm milk?" Renee asked, leaning over her, tucking her in.

"No, Mum, thanks," she said. "I'm good."

The older woman touched her cheek. "Try to fall asleep."

"Ok," she agreed, closing her eyes.

Renee walked quietly out of the room. Bella didn't fall asleep for a long time despite her exhaustion. Her mother's encouraging words did little to calm her. She wanted Edward back with her. Nothing else would do.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Next morning Bella was woken by the persistent ringing of her phone. She was relieved and secretly pleased when she saw _Edward_ flashing on the screen. He didn't forget about her after all, despite those unknown women currently surrounding him.

Bella had no intention to make it too easy for him, after how he'd acted last evening. She didn't answer the call.

She silenced her cell, putting it into the pocket of her sweats as she brushed her teeth and used the toilet. The house was silent as she walked downstairs and into the kitchen. The phone was vibrating against her hip every two minutes or so, but she kept ignoring it.

"Let Daddy sweat some, huh?" she murmured patting her enormous stomach. " What do you thing baby boy? He deserves it after how he treated us yesterday, right?"

Bella was well aware that she would have to answer soon otherwise Cesare would be knocking at the door checking whether she was all right.

Unhurriedly she had her breakfast before cleaning the kitchen, and nestling herself comfortably in front of the flat screen in the living room.

The phone began vibrating again as she switched through the channels hoping for something interesting to watch.

At last she dug her phone out the pocket. "Yes," she answered calmly.

"Christ Bella why aren't you answering?" he yelled. "I nearly had a heart attack."

"I'm fine," she answered coldly. "Just had some yummy breakfast," she announced cheerfully.

That took his speech away for some ten seconds. "Haven't you heard your phone?" he asked, sounding calmer.

She rolled her eyes. "I must have silenced it accidently. I didn't see the missed calls until now," she lied.

"Don't ever do that," he told her. "I need to be in contact with you all the time. I was worried that something had happened to you. I was on the verge of calling your parents and Cesare."

"I try not forget your instructions in the future," she said.

"Good," he breathed in relief. "Now, how are you today? How was doctor's visit yesterday?"

"Fine, just fine," she answered. "Look Edward, I can't talk now. I need to go to Port Angeles, have some fun meetings there with my friends. Try to catch me in the evening, but not too late because I have a feeling that I'll be very tired today, going to sleep rather early."

She smirked at the stunned silence on the other side.

"Bye," she said sweetly before disconnecting the call.

"Asshole," she murmured, throwing the phone on the coffee table.

As she expected he called again a moment later but she stuck her tongue at it. Initially she had no intention to leave the house today but now she thought it to be a good idea. The weather seemed really nice for April. No doubt some fresh air would do her and the baby good.

Moreover, she'd just told Edward that she was leaving and he was surely bothering Cesare now, checking if she was speaking the truth. She wouldn't give him this satisfaction. She wouldn't be sitting at home alone and miserable pinning for him while he was entertaining some female friends.

She called Cesare telling him that she had plans for today and she needed him. Then she went to her room to dress herself. Her hair looked like a rat nest but in her current state she felt too lazy to do anything about it. Perhaps she should visit hairstylist today? That was definitely a good idea. It could be the last chance for haircut before the baby's arrival.

As the day was warm, she picked up light wool navy blue dress printed in small brown and yellow flowers. It was a lovely design. Her mother had encouraged her to buy it two weeks ago when they had been in Port Angeles with Riley. Bella had protested that there was no point in buying another maternity dress when she had a few already in her closet, but her mother looked at her as if she was crazy, practically ordering her to buy it. Renee thought that Bella should enjoy Edward's money more, especially taking into consideration everything that she had been through in their relationship.

Bella had to admit that it was nice to be dressed so well, and not having to look at the price when buying. Before she'd always had to buy everything on sale, trying to fit some decent clothing into her tight budget.

Standing in front of a mirror she smoothed the rich material over her bump.

"Mummy doesn't look that bad, does she?" she asked her son.

She threw on new suede flat boots, chocolate colored leather jacket and a matching hobo bag.

As she returned downstairs and checked her abandoned phone there were three missed calls from Edward. Good. He should know that she wasn't at his beck and call, desperately waiting for his call.

Cesare was waiting on the porch for her. She greeted him with smile and she closed the house.

"Where to Mrs. Cullen?" Cesare asked.

"Port Angeles," she told him as she began waddling slowly towards the SUV.

Cesare was hovering behind her. "Should I drive?"

She was about to protest but then she thought why not? She could sit in the back and admire the pretty spring views instead of concentrating on the road.

"Very well," she agreed handing him the keys, as he helped her into the back.

During the hour long drive Cesare was quiet as always but received two calls from Edward.

Bella pretended that she didn't care to listen to their conversation.

In Port Angeles she first dropped by the hairstylist her mother usually favored. She was lucky that they had an opening at twelve. With two hours to kill she visited bookstore, coffee house, and a baby store, buying a few cute outfits for a newborn boy.

She still had very little things stored for the baby. She had a pram though, a first present for their grandson, as her father explained. It was a beautiful stroller and Bella loved it. She'd been really touched when her parents had brought it home last week. She'd even begun to cry which was normal these days. She cried at least once a day.

Hairstylists convinced her to shorten her hair to a chin length bob with thick fringe. She'd never had such a short hair, but she had to admit that she liked herself like that. New haircut really suited her features, making her eyes look bigger and more expressive.

"Home now?" Cesare asked as they left the hair salon.

Bella glanced at the watch. "I'm really hungry and you must be two," she noted.

Poor Cesare had sat in the corner the entire time while she had her hair done, listening to women chattering about kids, pets, husbands, food recipes, fashion as well as births, post pregnancy sex and lactation because apart from Bella there were two other pregnant ladies present so naturally the conversation had to go into that direction. He was even hit on by the owner of the establishment who had recently divorced from her military husband, making it clear to him that she was ready to date again.

They found a small Italian restaurant, Bella insisted that he would sit with her. They didn't talk, they rarely did. Cesare wasn't exactly outspoken person when in her company. She had a feeling that it was a matter of Edward's order rather than Cesare's personal preference. Her husband probably didn't like that idea of the bodyguard talking too much with her.

They were back home half past four, Bella bearing generous take-outs from the restaurant, which were promptly devoured by starved Charlie and Riley. Renee was working later today and of course those two were unable to fend for themselves without a woman in the house.

She tried watch TV with Riley for a few minutes but as her eyes were closing on their own, she went upstairs to her room.

She curled on the bed and fell asleep a minute later. Later on she thought that someone put a blanket over her as she was suddenly very warm, something heating her back.

When she woke up due to baby pushing on her bladder it was almost dark outside.

She was not alone in bed.

Edward was behind her, sleeping peacefully, glued to her back, his nose buried in her hair, his arm draped heavily over her belly.

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With some effort caused by her enormous stomach Bella turned on her back and then on her other side to face her husband.

She took a long and good look at him.

He looked exhausted, and thinner, his face drawn and pale. He didn't shave today. His hair was overgrown, and looking unkempt, greasy at the roots.

Then she leaned forward and sniffed. He smelled like himself, his natural sent was stronger, more sweaty, but apart from his usual cologne she couldn't detect anything even close to female perfume on him.

"Edward," she said, but there was no reaction.

Gently she pushed at his arm. "Edward, wake up."

In response he moved on his back, smacking his lips like a baby before opening them and producing a soft snore.

After a minute of consideration she decided that she may very well let him sleep. He really did look tired.

Moving awkwardly she scrambled from the bed. Her insides grumbled loudly. It was high time for some good dinner for her and the baby.

Before she left the room she noticed Edward's things abandoned on the chair by the door- his jacket, shoes and messenger bag. Grabbing the suede jacket into her hands she sniffed it all over. Nope, no female scent on it. Then she methodically searched through all the pockets. She found some change, chewing gum wrappers, car keys, credit card receipt from some Miami restaurant from this morning, cell phone and also a small, velvet box with what looked like diamond earrings nestled neatly inside.

Looking through his phone gave her nothing. He had some messages from his family, mostly from Emmett and Alice. She didn't bother to read them. His address book was long but she didn't recognize any names apart from a few.

All she knew was that he'd been in Miami only twelve hours ago.

She had to admit that it soften her a bit when her own very pregnant pic flashed on the screen when she opened his phone. Judging by her outfit and the size of her belly it was taken about two weeks ago. She was smiling with Riley's school in the background. How had Edward got this pic? Who had taken it? Cesare probably?

Calmed somehow with the lack of any visible trace of another woman on the father of her child, she covered him with a blanket, and left him alone in her bedroom. Let him sleep. He could answer her questions later.

Her parents were sitting in front of TV on the couch watching some show. As it was past Riley's bedtime he had to be already in bed.

"Here you are honey," Renee saw her first, beaming at her. "We were waiting for you two to have dinner with us but when I checked an hour ago you were still sleeping so we decided to eat alone."

"That's ok, Mum." Bella dropped slowly on the chair. "I've just woken up myself," she explained. "What time did Edward come?"

"Around seven, right Charlie?" Renee asked, looking up at her husband.

"Ten past seven exactly," he confirmed. "High time for him to return when his wife looks ready to give birth any moment," he added quietly.

"Charlie," Renee scolded, elbowing him in the ribs.

Charlie's gaze returned to the flat screen.

Her mother leaned towards her, patting her knee. "You see, honey, you were so worried that he wasn't returning, and now he's back with you."

Bella smiled. "I'm so relieved that he's back. I was worried."

Charlie muttered something under his breath but it was unintelligible.

As the atmosphere in the room grew tense Bella thought that it would be the best to excuse herself.

"I'll have something to eat," she said, raising slowly to her feet.

"Oh, I get you something!" Renee jumped to her feet, but Bella stopped her.

"No, mum. Sit and rest. You've been on your legs the entire long day."

Bella waddled slowly to the quiet kitchen. Preparing her food she thought about her father's attitude. Charlie was still so hostile. He kept quiet most of the time, pressured by Renee, but Bella could feel his disapproval oozing from him every time Edward was as much as mentioned.

She made some more sandwiches for Edward to bring upstairs in case he would wake up and be hungry.

"You're going to bed, honey?" Renee asked, as she was passing through the living room, a plate of sandwiches and a bottle of water in her hands.

"Yes, it's late," she said, glancing at Charlie. He was tense, and didn't look at her. "Goodnight"

"Goodnight, honey," Renee answered, smiling.

Letting inaudible sigh Bella began to climb the stairs. Now when Edward was back he wouldn't want her to stay here for longer than necessary. But first they would have to talk. She wasn't going anywhere before he explained to her what he'd been doing for the last five weeks and who had been that woman that he'd been partying with yesterday.

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It was quarter past eleven and Edward hadn't woken yet. Bella was seated comfortably on the bed with a book, her back supported against numerous pillows. Her husband was snuggled to her side, his nose buried into the side of her hip.

She had to wake him – she shouldn't let him sleep through the entire night like that. He couldn't be comfortable in belted jeans and shirt.

"Edward, Edward, wake up, you need to change," she said, and kept nudging him, till his eyes opened.

It took him a few seconds to focus his gaze on her.

"Bella," he rasped, big smile stretching his tired but as always handsome face. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked, and not wanting for the replay he lifted on his elbow. "How's my son?" He supported his cheek against her t-shirt clad belly, placing a sweet kiss on top of it.

"He's good," she replied, combing her fingers through his too long hair.

He murmured something to her stomach, kissing it again before looking up at her. "It's so good to be back with you." He pressed his face into her neck, as if trying to hide into her.

With a sigh she wrapped her arms around his broad back, hugging him to her. He looked as if he needed a good hug. She thought to hear almost desperate note in his voice. What had happened during the last five weeks? What had he done to survive, to keep them safe? Suddenly she felt a very unpleasant coldness growing inside of her.

"Get out of this clothes," she said, rubbing his back, afraid that he would fall asleep on her again.

"Is there something on your mind, Mrs. Cullen?" he asked, kissing her neck.

"Only that you can't be comfortable sleeping like that. Do you have a change of clothes with you?" She already knew that he didn't, there was only laptop and some files tucked in his massager bag.

He pulled away from her neck, smiling. "Yeah, I have overnight bag in the car, but I don't think that I'll need it tonight."

He leaned down with the obvious intent to kiss her, but she turned her head away. She couldn't forget about that woman calling his name.

"Please, baby. I'm dying here." He wasn't discouraged, as he kissed her neck again. "I need you. It's been five long weeks of draught, and soon after the birth you'll be out of service for even longer than five weeks."

With all her strength she had she shoved him away from her. "Out of service!?" she cried as loudly as she dared not to be overheard by her parents.

"Shit… did I really say that?" he asked dumbly, his big hands reaching for her again. "Sorry baby, I'm just so tired. I've been travelling all day, first by commercial flight from Florida, then by car from Seattle, and I didn't sleep much the last couple of nights."

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, really? You haven't been sleeping much? Why?"

"Business meetings, boring parties," he answered, his voice flat, bored.

Counting that she would take him by surprise, with quick movements she jumped on him like cheetah, or rather small sized hippo, pushing him on his back with her considerable weight. "I swear the God, Edward Cullen," she hissed, pinning his shoulder to the mattress with her knee, staring right into his bewildered eyes. "I can tolerate that Mafia shit, just barely, but I can, but if you're fucking someone behind my back, I'll chop your dick off and throw it away to the dogs to eat it!"

Bastard dared to laugh, murmuring in low voice. "Really? To the dogs? Where will you find them? I don't think that they are after such a diet."

"You!" she roared, hitting him with her fists, not looking if it was his eyes, chest or nose that she was aiming at. "You bastard!"

Before she knew what was happening, he had them in reversed position, with her pinned beneath him. She tried to move, but he had her hands in his grip above her head, his powerful thigh pressing her lower half to bed.

There was a loud knock on the door, followed by her father's voice. "Some people need to go to work tomorrow. You're not alone, and you, Mr. Cullen, are a guest in this house."

The stilled completely until they heard Charlie's retreating steps.

Bella held his gaze for a longer moment till he slowly released her.

"What brought this on?" he asked calmly, kneeling beside her.

"Are you kidding me?" she whispered-shouted. "I heard that woman calling your name when I was on the phone with you yesterday!"

"Aghh," he murmured knowingly. "That's way you were so short with me this morning."

No kidding. He was genius. Really.

She crossed her arms over her belly.

"She's no one," he said, his expression blank. "A daughter of my host. I had to be nice to her."

"How nice?"

"Nothing happened," Edward stressed. "She's a shameless cunt who ignored the fact that I was wearing a wedding ring on my finger. I only thought about returning to you as soon as possible."

Bella didn't know what to think. She felt hurt and raw inside.

"Bella, my love," he whispered sweetly, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, you're my safe place, I do everything for you and our baby, I…to cheat on you…such a thought never even crossed my mind. If I went with another woman that would be the end of me, I would be finished, destroyed completely."

Closing her eyes, she snuggled deeper in his chest. "I don't like when you call women like that," she said in a clear voice.

"What?" he asked, confused, pulling back to see her face. "What do you mean?"

"It so … horrible to call women the c word."

"Cunt?" he asked to be sure.

She winced. "Yes, that. I hate to hear it coming from your lips. You called me that once too," she reminded him with hurt.

"I was beyond angry, furious," he said, his tone apologetic. "Terrified that you were leaving me. Doesn't mean I think of you as such."

"Still you shouldn't have!" she argued. "I don't believe that I did anything in my life to deserve that."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, placing kisses all over her face. "I love you, and respect you." He squeezed her to him tightly, causing nearly painful sensation.

"I don't want you using such words in front of our son," she warned him. "Ever."

He nodded, serious. "I won't."

_Thank you for reading!_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty- One**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

Edward had gone to get his overnight bag from the car and later to take a shower.

Bella rummaged in her dresser, hoping to find something sexier than what she was currently wearing. An oversized t-shirt and shorts were her preferred nightwear, but tonight, she needed something different to go along with her plan.

She picked up the black silk nightie she'd bought in Las Vegas. It was so pretty and fragile looking that she'd only worn it a couple of times. Even though, it was a maternity nightie, she worried that with her current size, it would be too small.

It turned out to be a tight fight around her big stomach, but she managed to put it on without ripping it to pieces.

Stashing her previous outfit in the dresser, she changed her panties too, from white cotton ones, her favorite type to something more risqué - a red lace thong.

As she glanced at herself in the mirror, she could see instantly how ridiculous she looked. Her breasts and stomach were stretching the silky material in a very unattractive way. For a long time, her bump was like a cute, small attachment to her slim figure, but not anymore. Now she was all belly, hanging out of her like some alien body.

She decided to change back into her trusted t-shirt and shorts when she heard Edward's long gait in the corridor.

Without thinking, she ran to the bed, hoping to hide under the covers. Not watching where she was going, she hit her shin against the corner of the bed.

She cried out in pain. "Fuck," she hissed. She rarely cursed and usually only when she was in severe discomfort like now.

The door swung open, and pale as a ghost Edward, stood in front of her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, hurrying to her side.

"Yes," she said, trying to massage her leg. It was difficult because it was almost impossible for her to bend over. "I hit my leg against that stupid bed." She smacked the mattress angrily.

"Sit," he said as he helped her to the edge of the bed. "Let me look." He gently began probing her calf as he knelt in front of her. "It looks fine but you'll have one hell of a bruise tomorrow."

"I know." She nodded, relieved that the pain was slowly going away.

He wiped his forehead. "Christ, I thought that you were going into labor."

She felt his eyes on her then, stopping for a long moment on her breasts that were spilling generously out of the low cut nightie.

"Is that for me?" he asked warmly, his hands stroking the black material covering her thighs.

She tried to reach for the knitted blanket to cover her. "Don't look at me, this was a stupid idea," she pleaded. "I look hideous." Tears stood in her eyes. Nothing wonder he'd been with another woman and hadn't wanted to talk to her on the phone when she looked this. "Like a whale," she sobbed, not being able to stop the torrent of tears any longer.

He took the blanket away from her hands, throwing it back on the bed. "You're beautiful," he said, kissing her wet cheek. "I have something for you."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, looking at him as he found his jacket on the chair, and reached into the inner pocket. It was a good thing that she'd remembered to put everything back in their previous places after she'd looked through his things.

He returned to her side, kneeling in front of her, with a box in his hand.

"I hate to think that you had to sell your jewelry to pay medical bills," he explained, opening the box.

"They're lovely," she assured him, pretending that she was admiring the earrings as if she hadn't seen them before.

"Will you put them on now?" he asked eagerly.

Obediently, she removed her every day, silver hoops, trying on the new earrings.

"They are discreet and small enough that you can wear them every day," he commented. "Don't you think?"

"Yes, I'll wear them every day. Thank you," she whispered, hooking her arms around his neck, pulling his head closer so she could kiss him.

They had kissed for a few moments before his fingers pushed the straps down her arms, freeing her heavy breasts.

His head bent down, his lips catching her nipple, sucking gently. One hand caressed her breasts, the other nudged confidently between her thighs.

"Ahh," Bella squeaked, shuddering. She was so starved for him that even the smallest touch made her wet and ready.

From her breasts, he kissed a path down her belly, before pushing her on her back. "You have to be quiet," he whispered. "You don't want your father to wake up, do you?"

She shook her head, stuffing her fist into her mouth. With quick fingers, Edward removed her panties and spread her legs wide, planting her feet firmly on the mattress.

He started kissing the inside of her thighs, slowly ascending higher.

She nearly wept when he finally licked her sensitive flesh. Her orgasm shook her, causing her to lock his head between her thighs.

As she was resting from her high a moment later, she felt him pushing inside of her, moving powerfully.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked, gripping her shoulder.

"More," she breathed only, trying the best to tilt her hips to get closer to him.

She came again after which she laid down spent and boneless on the bed, not being able to even move a finger. Her heart was beating so wildly, it felt as if it wanted to jump out of her chest.

She felt something cool and wet against her inner thighs. She lifted her head to see Edward cleaning her up with a towel.

He put her panties back, straightened her nightie, and tucked her under the covers.

She vaguely registered that he had moved around the room for some time before turning off the lights and climbing in bed next to her.

"Goodnight," he whispered, kissed her shoulder, and spooned behind her.

Soon, she felt him relaxing completely behind her. He was sleeping.

Her grand plan of using seduction as a tool to get information from him had failed completely.

But there was still tomorrow. She had every intention of pestering him as long as necessary until he answered her questions. She had to know what he'd been doing for the last five weeks. Was he safe now? Was he still in danger?

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella had to wait for her answers for quite some time.

They had slept late the next day. When they finally got up, the house was long empty, her parents at work and Riley at school. They were having breakfast when Edward announced that today, they were returning to Seattle.

Her first reaction was to protest, explaining that it was too fast and sudden, but then she bit her tongue. Edward and her father under one roof in a small house for more than one night wasn't a good idea.

She only insisted that they would first stop by Riley's school and her parents' respective workplaces. She couldn't imagine leaving without saying goodbye, even though they would see each other soon when they would come to see their newborn grandchild. Her family had helped her so much during the past couple of months with their constant support and unconditional love.

Besides, her new life in Seattle was waiting for her. She had to prepare Edward's loft for the baby's arrival. She liked a few of the properties the real estate agent had sent to her over the last few weeks, but Edward had found them inadequate, all of them, in one way or the other. His main concern was that they were too small.

Still they had to find something, and soon. They baby would need his own room.

She hoped that during the four-hour drive to Seattle, she would have an opportunity to talk to him, but she had no such luck. Edward decided that they would take her SUV; he was sitting with her in the back, while Cesare was behind the wheel.

Bella reminded herself that they would be alone tonight. Then he would have nowhere to escape her and her questions.

Because of the demands of her poor bladder, the journey took over an hour longer than usual. Edward didn't bitch about it even once. He was very protective, and helpful, and accompanied her to the restroom at every gas station they had stopped at, even though he could have easily sent one of the bodyguards.

Once they were in Seattle, she noticed that they were in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking at the park they were passing.

He smiled. "Surprise!"

Soon they stopped in front of an affluent looking apartment building.

"Here we are," Edward said, helping her out of the car.

"What?" she asked, glancing up.

"Don't you recognize it?" he asked, leading her to the front door.

"No, should I?" She shook her head.

"It's one of the apartments you liked so much."

She frowned.

"You sent me the photos of it in my email."

"But, you claimed that they were all too small."

"I reconsidered it," he said, putting his arm around her. "Three bedrooms should be enough for our family for now. In a year or two, we'll look for something bigger."

"Really?" she asked, excitement growing inside of her. "You bought it?"

"My mother had it redecorated, of course; you can make any changes you want."

She grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the front entrance. "Well, let's go! I cannot wait to see it!" she exclaimed.

The elevator ride took much too long for her taste. She was stomping from one foot to the other hoping that the new apartment wouldn't disappoint her. She had loved the pictures the real estate agent had sent, but would reality be as good?

Finally, Edward opened the door, and she waddled inside, moving as fast as she was capable of in her condition.

Her first impression was that it looked bigger and brighter than in the pictures, emptier too as there was no furniture visible except the big sectional couch in the middle of an open living area. It looked exactly like the one from Edward's loft. Bella didn't think that it fit here particularly well, but she understood that they had to have something to sit on.

"Well, do you like it?" Edward asked, unsure.

"I love it; it looks even better than in the pictures."

"That's good. It would be difficult to find something else before the baby's arrival. We have little time," he said, putting his hand on her belly.

"The previous owners took their furniture," she guessed, walking into the kitchen. It wasn't very big, but spacious enough. The same as the rest of the apartment, it was in very light colors, Scandinavian style, she would call it. All of the appliances were expensive without a doubt. It would be a pleasure to cook here.

She was so taken with her new home that she had barely paid any attention to Edward.

"Would you like to see the main bedroom?" he asked, extending his hand to her.

She nodded. "Sure."

There were three rooms down the hallway. The first one on the left was the master bedroom with an attached bathroom and a walk in closet.

"There's a bed," Bella noted lowering herself slowly onto it. "From your old apartment."

"Yes, we have to sleep on something before you find new furniture. My mum wanted to buy everything, but I told her that you would prefer to do it yourself.

She looked up at Edward thinking how thoughtful that was. Esme's house was beautiful, but not exactly her taste.

"I'll be happy if Esme helps me pick the furniture," Bella said. "I don't even know the good stores in Seattle. When I was furnishing my old apartment, everything I bought was second hand or was from my parent's basement."

Edward grinned. "She'll be delighted to help you."

Bella had looked at the hardwood floor made of wide beautifully polished boards before her gaze swept up to the light beige walls. "It all looks so clean."

Edward nodded enthusiastically. "As I said, my mum redecorated a bit, something about not allowing her grandson to live in other people's filth. I know that she had a cleaning service here, and they scrubbed the apartment from the floor to the ceilings. I believe the bathrooms especially. She put a fresh coat of paint everywhere."

"I'll call her tomorrow to thank her," she assured. "I appreciate what she has done. It's nice to move into a clean and fresh place. "

"Now, time for the nursery," he announced, helping her to her feet. "It was something my parents insisted on. Emmett and Rosalie received one too."

He led her to the room across the hall, opening the door to the most perfect baby boy's room that she could have ever imagined.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Do you want some more?" Edward asked, destroying yet another slice of pizza.

"No, I'm good," Bella said.

"You're sure?"

"I'm stuffed," she assured him, rubbing her stomach.

They'd ordered the pizza along with beer for Edward and apple cider for her because both the refrigerator and cabinets were empty. As Edward explained to her, his mother hadn't had a chance to stock them with food because he hadn't told her the exact date of their return.

That was an interesting piece of information. It looked as if he'd learned at the last moment that he was coming back.

She looked around her new home. She had her delivery date four weeks from now - a planned C-section. Her obstetrician had insisted on the operation from the very beginning, taking into consideration the accident she had had in high school. Edward was all for it too. He didn't want her to suffer through hours of labor, especially if her health could be endangered by it. Bella hoped that she could manage the decorating and purchase of everything they needed before that time. She knew that it would take longer for her to return to full mobility after a C-section rather than a natural birth.

She had to admit that Esme had done a great job. The apartment looked like new, and the nursery was simply a masterpiece. She had to admit that she couldn't have done it better herself even if she'd tried and looked through countless interior design magazines. Her mother-in-law had brilliant, original ideas.

"Your mother is very talented. She did a great job with the baby's room," she voiced her thoughts out loud.

He smiled. "Just remember to tell her that. She'll be delighted to hear it from you."

"Does she do projects for other people as well? I mean outside the family?"

"No, I told you that she stopped working after my birth, and entirely devoted herself to raising her children."

"Yes, but you and Emmett hardly need her now. You have families of your own."

"Alice is still in high school," Edward reminded her.

"She'll be off to college in no time."

"My father needs her too," he pointed out quickly.

She looked down. "I just think that it's a shame that she can't use her talents. She could be a sought after interior designer."

Edward shrugged his broad shoulders. "It's not like she needs to work."

"That's not the point. She's very good at it, surely she studied hard to learn her craft, and now she's not doing much with it except designing her grandchildren's nurseries."

Edward put the empty pizza boxes on the floor and turned with his body to her. "What's your point?" he asked, his attitude turning slightly hostile. "My mother is devoted to her children and husband. She's happy."

"What if she wanted to return to work?"

"Did she talk to you about it?" he asked, sounding suspicious.

"No, no, it's just that when I saw the nursery, I thought that it's such a shame that she's wasting her talent. She should do more projects like this."

Edward didn't answer her immediately. He picked up the pizza boxes and carried them to the kitchen, placing them on the counter. "Do you know where the trash goes?" he asked, his voice carrying over the empty, open living area.

"Try near the sink," she answered.

Slowly, she lifted from the coach, joining him in the kitchen.

"More apple cider?" he asked, pushing the bottle in her direction.

"No, thanks," she denied. Gathering her courage she said. "Perhaps your mother is happy with her life, but I can't imagine never returning to work," she told him.

His penetrating eyes settled on her for a long moment. She didn't look away, steadily holding his gaze.

"I hope that you don't want to leave our son alone when he's only weeks old just to pursue your ambitions," he said coldly.

She shook her head. "No, of course not. But once he's in preschool, I don't see the point of sitting around an empty home."

He walked over, standing right in front of her, not breaking eye contact. "There is a point," he stressed. "Have you forgotten how tired you were when you still worked at the hospital? How do you imagine that? How will you take care of a toddler, home and me, being dead tired after a long shift?"

"You sound as if it was something undoable. Millions of women do that. They juggle family life and work."

"Because they are single mothers, or their husbands don't earn enough to support the family. They dream about staying at home with their children."

She crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at him. "That's not true. There's plenty of women who work because they want to. You won't make me feel guilty about it, Edward Cullen. I will go mad closed up at home. I need to work, and I will. You can't force me otherwise."

"Well, I don't like it," he told her, mimicking her pose, crossing his hairy arms displayed under his t-shirt and over his chest.

"That's tough then, because I won't waste years of education and training to sit at home waiting for you."

They glared at one another.

Suddenly, Edward's expression changed. His frown wiped from his face, and he visibly relaxed his body.

"I think this discussion is moot for the time being," he said in a soft, deep voice, putting his arms around her. "You said yourself that your intention is to stay home with our boy until he is old enough for preschool. That means another three-four years. We'll return to this conversation when the time comes."

Bella didn't melt into his embrace. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to distract her.

"In three years, my answer will be exactly same," she told him firmly.

He smiled indulgently. "We shall see." He kissed her forehead. "Perhaps I'll manage to convince you otherwise."

She pushed away from him. "No, we shall not see. I'm serious. My work is important to me. You knew that when we met. Did you think that it would change with my marital status?"

She could see the he was getting angry or at least exasperated with her. His hands were clenching and unclenching into fists by his sides. He always did that when he was nervous or seriously displeased with something.

"As I said, this whole conversation is moot for now," he told her, glaring down at her from his great height. "I think that we both agree that now you should concentrate on preparing for the arrival of our son, not thinking about returning to work."

She nodded curtly. "Of course, I simply wanted to make my point."

"That, you did," he agreed, stepping past her into the living room. "It's late. Let's take a shower and go to bed. You must be tired."

"There are some things we still have to talk about," she told him, following him as fast as she was able to. "They can't wait until tomorrow."

"What things?" he asked, turning to her, his voice and expression oozing impatience.

"Your business trip, of course," she said.

His eyes turned cold. "I don't understand."

"I want to know exactly what happened during the past five weeks."

He laughed; he actually laughed in response. "You must be kidding me."

She felt herself growing hot and furious. "I am certainly not kidding you. I want to know what you were doing while you were gone."

He stopped laughing, stepping close to her, so that their faces were nearly touching. "I will say this only once. We may talk about your possible return to work, and even compromise on it. We can talk about everything you want concerning our family life, me and you respectively, whatever you want," he paused, "but understand me, there will be no talk about the mafia."

She stepped away from him, taken aback. He had never used the exact word in front of her. She opened her mouth to protest, but he put a finger to her mouth.

"Anticipating your next argument; it's not because I don't trust you, consider you stupid or in any way inferior to me. It's because the less you know, the better it is for you and our son. It's for your safety and protection. If anything ever happens to me, you are without reproach, not knowing anything."

_Thank you for reading! _


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

"Come on, baby, don't give me the silent treatment," Edward pleaded, molding his front to her back when they were in bed later that evening. He pushed down the oversized t-shirt that she was wearing, kissing her shoulder. "Don't be like that."

"I'm worried; you can't blame me for that," she said, refusing to look at him.

"Everything is fine," he assured, rubbing her side in a soothing motion.

"Right," she murmured dryly. "Everything is fine, just like before when they attacked you with a knife in the middle of the street."

His arm went over her pregnant belly. "That won't happen again. I took care of matters. I told you."

She turned her head to meet his gaze. "What does that mean?"

"Don't ask, I won't tell you," he told her firmly. "We're safe; that's all you need to know."

"You think that I'm not tough enough to know the details?" she questioned. "Or perhaps, you don't trust me."

"Naturally, I trust you. I have from the very beginning," he stressed, "but you're right on the second one, I think that you are too tender-hearted to hear about some things."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You didn't start with the human trafficking again, did you?"

His expression hardened. "No, of course, I didn't, but I see that you still consider me capable of the very worst." Slowly, he pulled away from her, shifting onto his back.

"I don't know what to think," she cried, sitting up. "Someone tries to kill you right in front of me with a butcher knife. Then, you disappear for over a month; I don't know where you are, nor with whom or what are you doing. Then, you return as if nothing happened. I want to know what's going on because I'm terrified that something like that will happen again!"

She could feel her hormones going into overdrive, but she was so agitated that she couldn't calm herself.

"Christ," he murmured, running a hand over his face. "Give me the strength."

Bella felt the familiar tightening in her throat, and soon, thick tears ran down her cheeks.

"What?" He glanced at her. "You're crying now? Fuck, no! There's no reason for tears."

In response, a deep sob tore from her chest.

Her vision blurred and she felt him wrapping his arms tightly around her. He kept murmuring reassurances in a soothing voice, gently stroking her back. She wept in his embrace for a long time; she wasn't sure how long. She could not calm herself down. Suddenly, it was all too much for her.

He held her until she fell asleep in his arms.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next day, she woke up with painfully swollen eyes and a splitting headache. Edward was worriedly looking at her. He had watched her like a hawk the entire morning as if she was about to jump out of the window at any moment. She was angry at herself that she had gotten so worked up last night to the point of nearly becoming hysterical.

For a moment, she considered going into therapy because it was obvious that she wasn't dealing well with her emotions. She had a feeling that her poor emotional condition couldn't entirely be accounted for by being pregnant. Perhaps, she should toughen up, grow a thicker skin if she was going to survive and stay sane as Mrs. Edward Cullen.

They didn't return to the subject of his five-week absence again. She began to understand that no matter what she did - cried, screamed, or pleaded with him, he wouldn't tell her anything, or at least what he didn't want her to know.

For the first few days after their initial discussion, the atmosphere between them had been tense, on her part especially. She couldn't simply forget and act her normal self.

To the contrary, Edward had no such problem.

He was patient, tender and sweet. He was by her side most of the time. She suspected that he was secretly concerned that she could do something stupid if she were by herself.

She went through a few days of what she self-diagnosed as mild depression or at least a major downfall in her mood. It manifested itself by her indifference towards everything and everyone including Angela and Ben who had visited her, as well as Rosalie who had come by with baby Michelle smiling her very first smiles.

Bella had firmly told herself that she couldn't carry on like this. She didn't feel much better, but she knew that she had to organize her life. The baby was scheduled to be born in a little over two weeks, but in reality; her son could decide to arrive at any moment. Her baby needed her. She had to be strong for him.

After a week of moping in her pajamas around the lovely new apartment Edward had bought for her, and eating tons of ice-cream while staring out of the window; she called her mother-in-law, asking for decorating help. Esme was delighted to offer her services.

Edward was even more pleased when she told him that she was going shopping for furniture with his mother. He gave her his black credit card, as well as a driver and a car at her beck and call.

At first, Bella dreaded the task of furnishing the entire apartment all at once, but soon, she found out that money really could speak and open a lot of doors.

Esme was a great help, and Bella wouldn't be able to manage so quickly and efficiently without her. She knew of shops that Bella had no idea about. Gently, she interviewed Bella about her likes and dislikes, quickly judging the general style she favored, and in no time, she was directing her attention only to the pieces that Bella loved at first sight.

Within a week, the apartment was completely furnished from the large wooden table in the dining room to curtains, bedspreads and matching towels in the bathrooms.

As for things for the baby, she barely had to buy anything. She flatly refused the possibility of a baby shower, finding that she didn't feel like going through a party at this stage of her pregnancy. However, that didn't stop family and friends from sending gifts for the baby. She already had a pram from her parents, plus her mum kept sending cute baby boy outfits. But, it was Edward's parents who contributed the most. At times, she doubted whether her boy would have the opportunity to make use of everything. For instance, would he really need three different strollers?

One day, even Emmett came over bringing a play mat, stating that Michelle loved it, and assuring her that his nephew would too. Edward's brother apologized to her for what he had said about her. He seemed sincere, but Bella wasn't certain whether it was his own conviction to apologize and make peace. She suspected that it was more Rosalie's or someone else's influence, causing him to do so.

She accepted his apology but was still wary of his company.

Exactly five days before her due date, they had quite a scare. She woke up in the middle of the night feeling strong pains in her back and a tightening in her abdomen. When they didn't pass after ten minutes, but instead, seemed to grow stronger, she had awakened Edward.

After a few moments of sleepy disorientation and confusion on his part - thinking that she wanted him to go out and buy something she suddenly had a craving for; it finally dawned on him what was happening.

Bella never saw him move so fast. In ten minutes, they were in the car and on the road to the hospital. About an hour later, the doctor told them that it was a false alarm. The poor father couldn't believe it. He demanded that the doctor needed to check Bella again and even lifted her gown, and tried to look between her legs just to make sure that the baby wasn't accidently crowning.

They returned home in the early morning even though Edward had insisted that she should stay in the hospital just in case until the time of her scheduled delivery. But, Bella had put her foot down, and quoted the doctor who saw no need for her to be hospitalized.

The last few days before her C-section, Bella had been devoted to putting the finishes touches on her new home, and making sure that everything was ready for the arrival of their son. She had also finally decided on a name. Matthew Robert Cullen. There were no Matthews in her family, nor in Edward's but she'd always liked the name. It was an old name but was always in fashion and a good name for a boy. Matthew was someone trustworthy; someone other kids would like to make friends with. As for the second name – well, to be perfectly honest the reason for picking Robert was that she had a weakness for a certain film star, not that she let her husband know that. He might get the wrong impression knowing that his first born son was being named after an extremely good looking and charming actor.

Edward had the idea that the baby should be named after his grandfather, but Bella flatly refused. There was no way that she was naming her innocent son after one of the most infamous and dangerous mobsters in American history.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bella awoke from a deep sleep around two in the morning by furious screaming coming from the baby monitor.

Sitting up, she winced at the pain in her lower abdomen. It had been six weeks since her C-section, and she still didn't feel like her old self.

She reached to turn on the bedside lamp.

Edward's voice came from the baby monitor amidst Matthew's cries. Their son screamed bloody murder whenever he was displeased with something, no matter whether he was hungry, had a wet diaper or was just bored and wanted to be entertained. He had his Daddy's temper, no doubt about that. Patience wasn't his strong suit.

A moment later, Edward walked into the bedroom with a very unhappy little boy nestled against his t-shirt clad chest.

He transported Matthew gently into her arms and handed him to Bella. The baby immediately latched onto her nipple.

Edward dropped onto the bed beside her, falling asleep immediately. Her poor husband; he had been helping her so much, no wonder he was exhausted. She couldn't imagine how she would have managed without him. He had stayed at home with her and was doing everything from cleaning the apartment, (not very well but at least he was trying) to changing diapers and doing laundry (again, it was miss rather than hit, a good thing that Matthew had so many outfits). He didn't cook – the food was brought in for them from a restaurant twice a day, every day.

Bella honestly didn't have to lift a finger, apart from feeding the baby who was her only true responsibility. Even then, he brought the baby to her, so she didn't have to unnecessarily walk or lift.

Bella had to admit that Matthew wasn't the easiest baby. Both her mother, who came to stay with them for the duration of one week, and her mother-in-law insisted that she had to put the baby on a schedule, and the sooner, the better. But, it was difficult. He had a mind of his own.

Matthew was a lovely boy, especially when he was beginning to smile and communicate more. But neither she nor Edward was good at leaving him alone for his nap when he was screaming and crying at the top of his little lungs. The moment he was picked up; the crying would cease immediately. They were probably spoiling him a little, but they loved him so much; they couldn't stand to hear him cry.

Bella would never say it out loud to Edward, but she found it a little comical how a powerful and feared man like Edward, was unable to set the simplest boundaries when it came to his own son. Maybe, he ruled the underground world, but at home, the infant boy ruled him.

Bella suspected that Edward's unusual indecisiveness came from the fact that he was still in shock from the horrendous birth that they had undergone. At first, everything had been going well; she was admitted to the hospital on the appointed day and prepared for surgery. Her vital signs as well as the baby's were both normal. But then, during the procedure, she began hemorrhaging, and the doctor thought that he had lost her for a moment. She had had to have a blood transfusion, but still she'd been so weak from the blood loss that when she woke up, she didn't have the strength to hold her boy for more than a few moments. Matthew, despite being full term and an over ten pound baby had had trouble breathing and low APGAR scores. He was doing wonderfully now, and developing beautifully, but for the first few days, they had had quite a scare about him.

No sooner than a week after his birth, Matthew and she had been released to go home. Their baby boy was getting better and better, but Bella couldn't say the same for herself. She was feeling sick, and tired all of the time. After five days, she noticed redness around her incision. She had seen that too many times before to mistake it for anything else. She had a standard infection after surgery, unfortunately, accompanied by heavy vaginal bleeding and a high fever.

Bella was back in the hospital for another couple of days, being administered strong antibiotics to fight the infection. They had decided that it would be better for Matthew to stay at home rather than to be taken to the hospital with her. Rose had offered to nurse him interchangeably with Michelle. Rose had plenty of milk, so she was able to satisfy both babies. Bella was thankful for Rosalie's help, but deep down she wasn't particularly happy about another woman feeding her baby boy, even if it was her friend and sister-in-law. She knew that it was irrational, but she couldn't help it. It was better for Matthew to be breastfed rather than being given a bottle and her feelings mattered less than his well-being.

During those first weeks when she was in and out of the hospital, Edward was climbing the walls for the lack of a better description. One moment, he was ready to tear the obstetrician apart and sue the entire hospital, and the next minute, he was throwing millions of dollars of donations left and right. When she returned home after the second stay at the hospital, he told her that Matthew was their first and last child. He even vowed to get a vasectomy as the best way to prevent another life-threatening pregnancy. Bella didn't take him seriously. He had been very distressed when he had said that.

Matthew finished his meal, yawning adorably. Bella had burped him before he managed to fall asleep.

She glanced at Edward, who was snoring soundly by her side. Poor man.

She got out of the bed, careful not to disturb his much-needed rest.

As she put Matthew in his crib, she prayed for undisturbed sleep for the rest of the night.

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Bella looked down through the large living room windows to the street below, drying her wet cheeks with the back of her palm. She leaned forward, her forehead touching the cool glass, watching Edward dressed in one of his expensive suits exiting the building and going straight into an awaiting black BMW. He didn't look up.

She hated that he had to go back to his professional life. For the last three months, she had pretended that he belonged to only her and Matthew while he stayed home with them. Almost pretend, because he'd spoken on the phone with people almost every day. He didn't try to hide it from her when he took those calls. She'd heard everything - about shipments from China, renting new warehouses, securing a land plot for a new apartment development, trouble with new dancers employed at the club. Unfamiliar names were thrown into conversations, except for one when he talked about Montiglio. Bella understood that Edward was doing business with him, and shipyards were mentioned.

The precious time of Edward's paternity leave had come to an end; it was unavoidable, she was aware of that, but before today, she refused to think about it, pushing the thought somewhere to the back of her mind.

Edward hadn't warned her in any way about his plans to return to his normal schedule. This morning, after breakfast, he had simply put on a suit and told her that he had meetings for most of the day. He had hugged her and kissed her tenderly on the lips, and then hugged Matthew and kissed his son on the forehead. He told her that he should be home around six that evening. Then, he stepped out the door, and into the elevator, and left them all alone.

She had told herself that she wouldn't cry as she put her baby in the safety of his play pen, and rushed to the window to see Edward exit the building and step into the car. But, she did.

Her attention was drawn to the laborious grunts coming from the playpen; or rather play yard, because it was much bigger than usual playpens and took up quite a lot of space in the living area.

Bella knelt in front of the transparent nylon wall, grinning at her baby. Matthew was on his tummy, trying to rock his strong little body back and forth. So far, he was getting good at supporting himself on his outstretched arms and lifting his head up, looking up at her, but his legs still weren't cooperating. Now, he was trying hard to lift his bottom up supporting himself on his bent knees, but his bare chubby legs were slipping helplessly against the soft padding of the play yard floor. He tried again and again, but after another failed attempt, a frustrated wail come from his throat, and fresh tears brimmed in his bright green eyes.

Bella picked him up and nestled him against her chest. "My brave boy, you did so well, so very well," she praised, and rocked him in her arms until he calmed down, and smiled at her again.

He was such a handsome baby, the prettiest boy in the entire world, with thick, dark brown hair, and handsome facial features that he had inherited from Edward. He could star in commercials, not that she would ever want him to do something like that, not to mention Edward. He will be a heartbreaker one day, no doubt about that. Already, he was long and well built, strong too. Everyone thought that he was older than fourteen weeks, and said that he looked at the very least, sixteen weeks.

Matthew settled himself comfortably against her, relaxed all over, his dark head resting on her shoulder as he looked up at her, his little face serious.

"I love you so much, so much," she said to him. "Can you feel how much I hate when Daddy is goes for business?" she asked worriedly. "They say that a baby can pick up on its mother's moods, even as small as you." She sighed. "The things I don't know about … the ones your father refuses to discuss me still terrify me," she confessed.

She kissed his forehead, and as if he understood her distress, he lifted his tiny hand patting her neck.

She kissed his long fingers repeatedly. "Daddy loves you too so much; he is the best Daddy in the world, isn't he? The way he cares about you, plays with you, changes your stinky diapers without a word of complaint. He is so good with you. We are lucky to have him. He works hard so that we can have everything we need and be safe."

Matthew was listening to her, his expression thoughtful, his brow wrinkled in concentration.

"What would you say about a walk in the park?" she asked. "It is warm but not as hot as the last couple of days have been."

Her baby boy seemed to be enthusiastic about the idea. It took her a good hour to get them ready. She nursed Matthew for the second time today hoping that he would be satisfied for a while and that it would tide him over until their return home. Although, that was doubtful, because he had quite an appetite. She wasn't comfortable nursing him in public, even though she had seen plenty of women who didn't have the same reservations, baring their breasts around the playground in the park as their children nursed. Bella always made an attempt to cover herself with a light blanket. The problem was that Matthew didn't like having something draped over him and protested loudly, pulling at it and fussing. When he had his meal, he enjoyed keeping eye contact with her, or simply looking around, especially when he was outdoors.

At last, equipped with everything that she needed, she stepped out into the sunlit street. Bella adjusted the umbrella attached to the stroller over her baby to shade him from the strong sun. Matthew was happy and excited, kicking his legs and cooing at her. He looked cute in a striped, blue and green outfit, so handsome, his feet and arms bare.

After making sure that her baby was comfortable, she pushed the stroller down the pavement. The entrance to the nearby park was only one block from their building, one of the reasons Edward had decided to buy this apartment.

Bella could feel Cesare's shadow walking a few feet away from her. She had gotten used to this, and she liked and trusted Cesare. She never forgot that he had rescued both her and Edward that horrible evening last winter.

She wasn't comfortable knowing that the man walking beside her and her baby was carrying a gun, but she knew that Edward considered it a necessity, even though, he himself never wore a weapon himself.

Bella also suspected that she and Matthew had more security that just Cesare, especially when they were going out by themselves like today. She didn't see them, nor did she try to guess who and exactly where they were. Cesare was visible to her not only because she trusted him, but because he was handy at times when she needed help to manage or lift the stroller when she was holding the baby.

She found a nice spot on the bench near the pond. Matthew preferred the pond rather than the nearby playground with a sandbox and monkey bar gym where the older kids were playing. He enjoyed looking at the water and the ducks as she held him against her chest, standing near the water's edge.

They spent time watching the ducks, before they strolled along the shaded alleys when Matthew took a nap. When he woke up, he was hungry. They were almost at the other end of the park. Bella remembered that a restaurant that Edward had taken her to a few times before Matthew had been born was only a short walk away. It was a rather upscale place where business lunches were held, and she wasn't sure whether they would welcome mothers with babies. She hadn't seen any when she had been there before. At the same time, she knew that they wouldn't say no to her. The Cullen name opened a lot of doors in this town, besides she was pretty sure that Edward owned or at least co-owned this particular place.

With determination, she pushed the stroller turning into the alley leading to the street. Matthew was hungry, and she was too. They needed a peaceful, private place. She didn't like the idea of some creep staring at her when she was nursing on the bench in the park. She would be uncomfortable in front of Cesare too.

By the time they reached the restaurant, Matthew was having a small fit, crying and waving his hands and legs. He needed a breast, and soon. However, before she could even enter the place, a sleek looking blonde hostess blocked her way.

"Do you have a reservation?" she asked rather rudely.

"No, but I have eaten here many times before with my husband," Bella explained.

The woman looked at her as if she didn't believe her; her cold blue eyes sweeping over Bella's loose blouse, long peasant skirt, and flat sole sandals. Bella guessed that she didn't exactly give the impression of someone married to a wealthy man. She didn't wear any of the jewelry that she had received from Edward. Matthew liked to pull at her earrings and necklaces so she didn't even bother to put them on these days.

"I am sorry," the woman said, not sounding sorry at all, looking down with contempt at the screaming baby in the stroller, "but we are full today. Perhaps, you should try somewhere else," she gestured down the street.

Bella picked up her son, trying to sooth him, and looked through the large windows inside the place, seeing that there were empty tables. "Please," she said. "He's hungry," she explained, patting Matthew's back. "I need to nurse him."

Before the hostess could answer, she heard from behind her. "We want to speak with your manager," Cesare said in a flat tone.

Bella could see that the hostess was taken aback by his tone and attitude. She hesitated, but Cesare sent her a hard look. "Get your manager now or you will lose your job."

"Thank you," Bella said to the bodyguard, as the hostess hastily walked away, disappearing inside the restaurant.

Cesare shrugged. "She must be new," he commented, "stupid too."

Very soon, she saw a familiar manager hurrying towards her. "How wonderful to see you again, Mrs. Cullen. We weren't aware that you were meeting with Mr. Cullen today," he spoke, nervously eyeing Cesare.

"Oh, I'm not meeting my husband here. I was nearby, and I thought that I would eat lunch and have a private place to nurse my son."

"Of course, of course, please come in, we are pleased to have you and the little gentleman here," the man nearly bent in half in front of her, letting her inside.

Bella couldn't refuse sending a smug look in the direction of the hostess. Her smugness, however, was wiped away the moment she noticed that the woman looked terrified, white-faced, and her hands were visibly shaking.

Within a minute, she was seated in a corner booth, well hidden from the main room. The manager pulled the curtain on the window so that she wouldn't be seen from the street too.

Relieved to at last have some quiet place all to herself, she opened her blouse putting Matthew to her breast. He noisily nursed for a few minutes when she sensed someone staring at them.

Lifting her eyes from her son, she saw Edward standing next to the booth, smiling widely at her.

_Thank you for reading!_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

"What are you doing here?" she asked as he slid into the booth beside her.

"I could ask you the same," he murmured, kissing her cheek, before dipping his head to kiss Matthew's head. His son paid no attention to him though, entirely focused on his meal.

"We were in the park nearby," she explained. "Matthew was hungry, and you know that I don't feel comfortable nursing in public, so I thought I would come here."

"Good idea," he praised. "You've been treated well?" he asked seriously.

"Yes, yes, they were very accommodating," she quickly assured him. Despite the fact that the hostess was a bitch to her, she didn't want the woman to lose her job.

Edward smiled, looking down at the nursing baby. "God, I have missed him so much today. Only a couple of hours away from him and I'm like a starving man," he said, stroking the baby's bare chubby leg with his finger.

Bella switched the boy to her other breast. "You're here on business?" she asked.

"Yes, when I heard a baby's cry, I could swear that it was Matthew. But, I rejected that idea, scolding myself for being lovesick seeing my son in every baby around me. But, when the manager came to our table saying that you were here, I was angry at myself. I should have trusted my instincts."

Matthew stopped pulling suddenly, and even though Bella tried to nudge a nipple into his mouth, he flatly refused.

"He finished quickly," Edward comment.

"I don't think that he was that hungry, just fed up, and needed a change of place," Bella said as she burped him. "I fed him a lot this morning."

They both laughed at the loud, satisfying sound coming from his little throat.

"Give him to me," Edward said, reaching for the baby.

Gently, he cradled the boy to his chest, stroking his back. Matthew didn't like to be jostled around shortly after his meal, instead like a real man; he liked to have a few calm moments to himself.

Bella righted her clothes, covering herself up. The hungry look Edward gave her breasts before she adjusted her bra and blouse did not escape her attention. They hadn't had sex yet. For the past two months, Edward seemed to be still too traumatized from the birth itself and her second stay at the hospital caused by the infection to think about resuming their intimate relations.

But lately, he'd been giving her those hot looks, and she knew that he wanted her again. She could hardly understand how. She hadn't managed to lose any of the post pregnancy weight. Those twenty pounds were still sitting on her hips, belly and chest, and didn't fit her short stature particularly well. To be honest until now, she was too busy with her baby to even think about returning to her old shape. It was too hard to diet. She needed to eat in order to satisfy Matthew's ever growing appetite. As for exercise, her doctor had strictly told her that she shouldn't rush with it after the C-section. Until a short time ago, she had still felt an unpleasant pulling in her lower abdomen, so the gym was out of the question.

Edward didn't seem to mind though if those longing looks he was giving her were any indication of his intentions. But if they were to have sex now she would be wearing a t-shirt. Her legs still looked good, and he didn't have to look at anything else before she was back in decent shape.

"Come," Edward said, standing up, extending his hand to her, and holding Matthew to his chest with his other hand.

She gave him a questioning look.

"You will eat lunch with us," he said, pulling her to her feet.

She shook her head. "No, I had better stay here," she said. "I don't want to interrupt your business meeting."

"You won't," he insisted. "I can't let them wait any longer for me, it would be rude. They heard that you were here; they'll be offended if you don't meet them."

Resigned, Bella followed him through the restaurant until they had reached the other end. The place was L shaped which must have been the reason why she hadn't noticed Edward before.

Soon, they reached a large round table with three middle-aged men sitting at it. They all stood up when they saw her.

Edward introduced them to her, not that any of their names told her anything. They greeted her very respectfully.

They all sat down as soon as an additional chair was brought for her.

Edward was proud as a peacock, holding Matthew to his chest. He told the men about his son's birth weight and about the trouble they had had both during and after the delivery. Thankfully, he spared them the more drastic details. To Bella's surprise, the other men joined him with similar stories about the births of their own children. Bella was surprised at the turn the conversation had taken. She didn't know that men could talk just like women. The funny thing was that they all sounded as if they had given birth to their children themselves.

The oldest gentlemen included her into the conversation asking how she had met Edward. She explained to him that he had been her patient. Then, Edward surprised her, boasting how she was a highly trained registered nurse, working in one of the best hospitals in town.

He sounded so proud of her, and she always thought that he had resented her job.

Their food was brought to the table, and Edward put Matthew in his stroller where he promptly fell asleep.

They began to eat, and the men spoke business. Bella was quiet, but she was listening carefully. It appeared that Edward owned a very attractive plot of land, and the men wanted to invest in it. They want to build an apartment complex. Everything they discussed sounded perfectly legal, and her husband's business partners appeared normal, polite and intelligent.

She wasn't sure what she had imagined, but it certainly wasn't this. She was more than relieved that this business meeting seemed so ordinary. That gave her hope.

Maybe not all of Edward's business was bad? Maybe she was too pessimistic.

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"You helped me so much today, both of you," Edward said later that evening after dinner.

They were sitting on the couch with Matthew between them, entertaining them by showing his new skills; like he had this morning, rocking his taut little body between them.

"We did?" Bella asked distractedly, staring at her son, enchanted with his antics.

She watched as Edward picked the baby up, lifting him high above them on his outstretched arms. Matthew kicked his legs happily, laughing loudly.

"Rose told me about a gymnastics class for babies," Bella said. "She took Michelle once but Mich didn't like it. She was crying and fussing. But, I think Matthew would enjoy it. The parent and child exercise together."

"Even as young as Matthew?"

"I think so, but I haven't checked out the details yet."

Edward nodded, putting the baby against his chest. "I think that he would definitely enjoy it."

"He's so active, I think so too" Bella agreed. "I have the address of their website; we can check it out later."

"Ok, but if we like it, I want to take him, it'll be father and son bonding time." He lifted Matthew again, staring into the boy's eyes, identical to his. "Right son? Just you and me."

Bella didn't oppose. She could use some free time from her men for her own fitness classes.

Matthew stretched his arms out to her. Bella's heart melted as she cradled her baby boy.

"I honestly didn't think that I would get this deal," Edward said, returning to the previous topic.

"Why? Those men seemed interested in your offer. I don't know much about business, but they took you seriously."

"You don't know how long it took me to get them to agree even to meet with me."

"How long?"

"Nearly a year."

"That's awfully long. Couldn't you build that apartment building on your own?"

He shrugged. "Sure I could. But those men are the most respected businessman in Washington state as far as real estate goes. Their business is perfectly legal. They didn't want to link themselves with the Cullen name."

"I see." She hadn't thought before how difficult it must be for Edward to conduct business legally. People didn't like to associate with the mafia. She had been exactly the same when she had met him. She didn't want to give him a chance and get to know him because of his name and background.

"They were hesitant even today having already known the general business plan, but when they met you, they suddenly changed their attitude, and became more open."

She gave him a wide questioning look.

"Can't you see? With a lovely, normal, intelligent woman with a real job by my side as my wife, I don't seem so threatening to them. You scream honesty, baby."

"I scream ordinary you mean," she said dryly.

"No, not ordinary but a wonderful, hard-working, educated, kind young woman. You always sell yourself too short."

She sighed, resting her cheek against Matthew's dark head. "Perhaps. So you think that they expected a wild harlot, playboy bunny type, with breast augmentation, red claws instead of nails and hair extensions versus the girl next door?"

"Exactly, it's very much like in politics. Any politician with a wife like you and a cute kid like Matthew would win an election easily."

She smiled. "I am happy that I could help, Matthew too, right baby?" she asked her son, kissing his hand.

"I think you should deserve a bonus out of this deal, a small percentage from the profits."

"Oh, really?"

He nodded. "Anything you want."

"A beach house."

He frowned, taken aback. She never asked him for any material things; she could see his surprised reaction.

"A house in La Push," she clarified. "It's a beach a short drive from my parents. I loved to go there as a child. We could go there with Matthew. I'd like him to know it too."

"Sure. Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"So much was happening, I wasn't thinking about it earlier."

"Do you have something particular in mind?"

She shook her head. "No, I haven't been there since college, but I miss the place."

"Ok, we'll go there on a weekend, look around, and perhaps there's something for sale in the area."

She smiled, stretching to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

Edward moved closer to her, placing his arm behind her back. "Before buying something in La Push we could go back to Pismo Beach. You liked it so much there. Although, not this weekend. I have paperwork to do, but perhaps the next weekend."

"That's a great idea; Matthew will love it!" she cried enthusiastically. "He loves water, today he was so focused when we were watching the ducks in the park. You should have seen him."

"I thought that Matthew could stay with my parents this time," Edward said slowly, judging her reaction. "You can use the breast pump I bought last week to make some bottles for him in advance. I know that my parents will be delighted to have him. Just you and me, what do you say? We deserve some time alone," he whispered in her ear.

She turned her head, looking him right in the eyes. "In order to have sex you don't have to take me away to a hotel in California," she snorted.

He stiffened beside her. "I want it to be romantic." He pouted. He looked disappointed, and not a bit hurt.

She leaned in to kiss him. "Maybe I don't want to wait another two weeks before making love," she murmured against his lips. She pulled back. "Besides, I don't think that I'm ready to leave my baby boy for an entire two days, even with his grandparents."

He stared at her, his expression unsure.

"I'll go bathe Matthew and put him to sleep. He's had quite a day; he is exhausted, and I'm sure that he'll allow his parents a few hours just to themselves." She stood up with the baby in her arms. "I suggest that you use this time to get some protection because I don't think that we have any condoms."

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Bella put a bathed and fed, sweet smelling, and sleepy baby into his crib, covering him with a light blanket.

Edward had been gone for almost an hour, and she wondered what was taking him so long. The drugstore was only two blocks away from their apartment. He should have been back home by now.

As she tiptoed out of the nursery, she glanced self-consciously at her outfit. Bare feet, an oversized t-shirt and yoga pants – not exactly seductive. She should probably change into something more enticing. As she considered her limited options, rejecting one after another – her old clothes were too tight, while maternity ones were too large - she heard the front door opening.

She walked out to greet Edward. "What took you so long?" she asked. "Did the drugstore run out of condoms?" she joked.

He looked unsure, hiding something behind his back.

Frowning, she crossed her arms over her chest. "What's going on?"

When he didn't answer, she tried to peer past him. "What are you up to?"

"Is Matthew asleep?" he asked.

"Yes, he's exhausted; it's been a long and busy day for him. But don't try to distract my attention. What have you got there?" she insisted.

Slowly, he pulled out a huge bouquet of pink roses, at least two dozen, and an absolutely breathtaking arrangement.

"Thank you," she said confused, accepting the flowers from him and bringing them to her face. "What's the occasion?" she wanted to know. "You want to celebrate the end of the dry spell?"

He shook his head.

"No? Have I forgotten about something, an anniversary?" She was trying to remember what they had been doing this time last year. Was today the anniversary of the first night they had spent together, first date, or first kiss? She would have never guessed that Edward could be so sentimental.

He still didn't say anything, so Bella stepped closer to him, lifting onto her toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered softly. "These are beautiful."

Perhaps he heard somewhere that women like to receive fresh flowers without a specific occasion, or he was he just sweet and thoughtful?

She was about to turn around to find a vase for the flowers, but she didn't go far because he placed his hand on her elbow, and stopped her.

"Wait," he said nervously, his eyes vulnerable. "I had planned to do this differently, in different circumstances, and take you somewhere romantic. But when you said that you weren't ready to leave Matthew…" he cleared his throat loudly, taking a step closer. "I didn't want to wait any longer."

"Edward?" she questioned unsurely, her eyes widening as he slowly lowered himself to his knees.

"I know that my first proposal was…" he swallowed, "deplorable. I coerced you, and threatened you into marrying me, and it's not something that I am proud of." He reached into his pocket taking out a small box and opening it. As Bella looked down at the large ring, she could see that it was different from the one he had pushed onto her finger in Las Vegas seven months ago. The one that had been later taken from her when they were assaulted.

"Isabella Marie," he began, in an earnest voice, his eyes shimmering with emotion. "I love you; you and Matthew are the most important people in my life, and I would die for you, will you marry me?"

She stood mute for a minute or so. Another proposal wasn't something she would ever expect him to do. She was shocked.

"Bella?" His uncertain voice came to her, and she realized that he was still on his knees.

"Stand up," she said, and when he didn't react she tried to pull him up to his feet by his arms. "Come on, Edward, stand up." As soon as he stood up, she took his hand and led him to the couch.

They sat down, and she put the flowers on the coffee table. "What brought this on?"

He shrugged, looking down at the ring box still clasped tightly in his palm. "I've been thinking about this for some time."

"We are married," she reminded him. "You do remember Las Vegas?"

He behaved as if he couldn't stand to look into her eyes. "Don't remind me of that day. As I've said, I'm not proud of myself."

She waited a moment before asking. "Do you think that you would have behaved differently if the situation repeated itself, or if you could do it again, get another chance to change the past?"

He didn't answer immediately. "No, probably not," he admitted quietly.

She smiled, covering his hand with hers. "At least you are honest." He regretted how he'd acted but still he'd thought that it'd been the right thing to do - such typical reasoning for him.

He met her gaze cautiously, before taking the ring out of the box. "Do you like it?" he asked, slipping it gently onto her finger.

"Yes, I do, very much. To be honest, I like it more than the first one," she admitted, admiring the ring.

"I hated that you weren't wearing your wedding rings, but I didn't want to give you back the old ones. I didn't want the bad memories attached to them."

"I see." She'd wondered a few times before if he'd managed to recover her old rings and if so, why he hadn't given them back to her.

"I want us to have a proper wedding, with our family and friends, in a church, followed by Matthew's christening. I want to do it the right way."

Bella touched the round diamond.

"What do you think?" he asked, his lips touching her temple, his arms embracing her.

She pulled back slightly to look into his face. "I think that I want to apologize to you."

There was a new confusion written all over his face. "For what?"

"What you did in Las Vegas was bad but it was my fault as well. I shouldn't have tried to hide the pregnancy from you. You are a wonderful father; I know that you would do everything for our son, that you love him and will always protect him."

Edward was silent for a moment. "What's the answer then?" he pressed, sounding a little impatient.

Bella wound her arms around his neck. "The answer is yes. I love you and I will marry you, Edward Cullen."

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"I don't like it," Edward announced, staring down at his son dressed in a long off-white lacy dress. "He looks like a girl."

"Nobody's asking your opinion," Esme informed him briskly, trying to adjust the delicate material on her grandson's underarms while Bella held his chubby little hands in the air.

Matthew was surprisingly calm during the entire process looking in bewilderment from one woman to the other.

"We'll have to make alternations here and here," his grandmother said, pointing where the material rolled and bunched unattractively. "I will do it myself. I don't trust anyone else. This gown is a family heirloom after all. The problem is that our little angel is a bit older and bigger than the other babies who have worn it at their Christenings."

Esme began to remove the gown, pulling it gently over Matthew's head. The boy didn't particularly enjoy it, a cry of protest escaping him.

"There, there," Esme cooed. "All done," she spoke brightly, kissing Mathew's soft round cheek.

As soon as he was freed from the long dress, Mathew calmed down.

"See, he doesn't like it either," Edward said, picking the baby up from the couch. "Right son? You don't want to wear a dress for your Christening. You'll wear a suit just like your dad."

Esme folded the lacy outfit, placing it carefully into a flat box. "Don't talk nonsense, son. Naturally Matthew will wear the gown like every child in our family has for the past sixty years, including you. We will make a few changes, and it will fit him well. Had you two waited even longer with a proper wedding, he would have outgrown it completely."

"Mother," Edward murmured, and glanced apprehensibly at Bella. "It's not your business," he admonished gently.

Esme placed her hands on her hips. "Not my business? My first born son decides to get married in Las Vegas like some celebrity and waits for the christening of my grandson till the little angel is almost five months old?"

"Mother, there were other matters to deal with," Edward stressed quietly. "You know that."

Esme sighed, shaking her head. "I know, I know." She patted his cheek. "It's good that you've remembered what's important." She took Matthew's hand, kissing it. "Goodbye angel, grandma will see you tomorrow."

Esme picked up her jacket and purse, and turned to Bella. "Remember about the dress fitting tomorrow, my dear at one o'clock sharp."

"I remember," Bella assured her and followed Esme to the front door. "Perhaps it should be me who picks my mum up tomorrow?" she proposed one more time. Her mother-in-law had insisted that she would pick Renee up from the airport, stating that they should grow closer and have more opportunity to get to know each other better.

"No, no, you have enough on your hands with your boys, my dear. It's my pleasure to pick up your mother from the airport so don't you worry about that. I'll take her to lunch, we'll talk and later we'll meet you, and your bridesmaids at the wedding salon."

"Ok, thanks for everything," Bella said, kissing the air around the woman's cheeks. "We'll meet tomorrow at one."

Bella waited until Esme disappeared into the elevator, before closing the front door and slowly strolling back into the living room. Her mother-in-law was an enigma of sorts. She didn't provide a lot of information about herself. They had spent quite a bit of time together during the last month of her pregnancy and the difficult weeks following Matthew's birth. Esme was very supportive, despite everything that had happened between Bella and her son. She never judged, and was always ready to offer help. Bella imagined that her life must have been difficult, terrifying at times, but she always acted strong and composed, never showing any weakness. At least that was how Bella perceived Esme Cullen.

Grumpy Edward was sitting on the sofa with Matthew settled on his lap. "I don't want him wearing that dress. He will look like a girl in the pictures."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't you have any bigger problems? It's a tradition; you heard your mother."

She felt Edward's eyes on her as she sat next to him. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes, overwhelmed perhaps."

"With the wedding?" Edward guessed cautiously. He was a genius; she thought sarcastically.

"Yes, and the reception," she admitted. "I've always imagined a small wedding, only family, and so far it's growing bigger and bigger every day. Have you seen the wedding list? One hundred and fifty people and I know only thirty of them."

Edward wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "One hundred and fifty is not that many; there were nearly three hundred at Rosalie and Emmett's wedding, twice as much."

Bella covered her face with her palms, rubbing her eyes. "I just want it to be over. I want to wake up two weeks from now, in Pismo Beach, with you and our baby boy," she said, referring to their planned, short honeymoon. She reached for Matthew, taking him into her arms; it was comforting for her, the scent and warmth of her son.

"A traditional wedding is very important to my family," Edward reminded her. "Family weddings have always been a big deal since I can remember, and combined with the first grandson's christening… it's a huge deal for the Cullens." He sounded as if he was trying to justify the situation to Bella.

"I know," Bella smiled bravely. "And, I do understand."

He squeezed her to him. "We'll get through this together."

"I only hope that your mother doesn't mind that my effort in planning everything has been so small. I mean, she took care and planned pretty much everything. My only input has been to pick up my wedding dress and give her the list of my friends that I want to invite."

Edward waved his hand dismissively. "About that you shouldn't worry. She lives for occasions like this; she loves to have a free hand in organizing parties and receptions, weddings especially. She was quite irritated with Rosalie, who insisted on doing everything the way she wanted."

"My mum is strangely excited too," Bella remarked. Renee was taking ten days off of work to help with the wedding preparations. "I hope that our mothers won't kill one another."

Edward didn't see a problem. "They will be fine. I saw the two of them talking a lot when you were in the hospital giving birth to Matthew."

"Yeah, you're right, it's nothing compared to my father. I hope that he will behave at the wedding and reception."

Edward kissed her forehead. "It'll be fine, baby. Don't worry so much."

Bella placed her head on his shoulder. She could only hope that Edward's optimism would be well founded when the time came.

_Thank you for reading!_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

True to Edward's predictions, everything went smoothly on the day of the wedding.

The wedding ceremony, followed by the Christening took quite a long time, almost two hours. Even though, Edward tried to explain to Bella the meaning and significance of the Holy Mass and all the rituals accompanying it, it was still a big mystery to her. Matthew would be brought up as a Catholic, and Bella hoped to learn more about the faith in the upcoming years.

Angela and Ben stood as godparents for Matthew, something that Bella had insisted upon. She knew that her husband's family had their own ideas about who should take on this important role, but Bella was stubborn and didn't care for their opinions. Angela and Ben were her long-time friends; she knew and trusted them, which she couldn't say about other candidates that had been put forth.

They had the reception in a hotel owned by the Cullens. Bella had invited her friends and closest co-workers from the hospital including Carmen and Dr. Phillips. Although, she was worried that they wouldn't accept the invitation to the wedding. Despite her fears, every single person of the ten people who were invited showed up, and they all seemed to have a good time and no reservations whatsoever towards the other guests. Bella suspected that at least some of them came because they were simply curious to see what a real mafia wedding looked life. It was a one in a lifetime opportunity for them to share such an experience.

She thought the hospital staff would keep to themselves and wouldn't mingle with the crowd. She had even asked Esme to have them seated at two tables close together. But soon, she could see how wrong her assumption had been. First, Dr. Phillips went to introduce himself to several affluent looking men, openly asking for donations to the hospital. Then, two of her single female co-workers, one a nurse, the other a young doctor freshly out of residency, were approached by men from Edward's inner circle. They seemed to have a good time, dancing and laughing for most of the evening. Bella wasn't certain, but she had a suspicion that the doctor eventually went home with her admirer that night.

Bella and Edward's parents were seated together at one table. Rene and Esme rescued the situation, by being very enthusiastic, energetic and animatedly talking with one another, showing everyone that the newly joined families had a good rapport. Carlisle was his usual taciturn self, but he smiled a lot, which couldn't be said for Bella's father. Charlie sat grumpily, frowning and scowling at everything and everyone. He brightened up only when he was given his grandson to hold on his lap.

The only person from Bella's family who was perfectly happy and natural was Riley. Half an hour into the reception, he was running around with the other kids his age, eagerly participating in games and activities prepared especially for them.

Overall, the wedding, christening and following party was an indisputable success. Everything went according to plan, perfectly organized by Esme. The guests had a lot of fun, and no unpleasant incidents occurred.

Bella was happy that it was a onetime experience. Now, she, Edward and Matthew could return to their everyday life.

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The next couple of months were peaceful for Edward and Bella. They enjoyed their son as he was growing stronger, and smarter with each day, learning new things, filling their daily routine with joy and laughter.

No further dangerous accidents happened to Edward. Most days, Bella could easily believe that Edward was a regular businessman. Each day, he left home around nine in the morning and was back a few minutes past five in the afternoon. He went on a business trip about once a month, but never was never from home longer than two days, and twice had Bella and Matthew accompany him.

Bella and Edward had resolved many of their issues but certainly not all of them. Matthew was eight months old when he stopped breastfeeding. It wasn't a gradual process. One day, he stubbornly turned his head away when Bella tried to nurse him. She tried again for another week or so, but each time he flatly and loudly refused her breast. Bella had no other option but to accept his choice. At first, she was a little sad, perceiving it as a sign that her baby boy was growing up. On the other hand, it meant that she had more freedom in planning her time, and she could start thinking about returning to work.

It had been over a year since she'd stopped working, and she desperately missed that part of her old life. She enjoyed being at home with her family but at the same time, she was going crazy staying at home with a baby for most of the day. Naturally, she had it much easier than most women. She had money and time to go places with Matthew. Anytime, she could ask Esme to take the baby for a few hours if she wanted to go shopping or meet friends for coffee or lunch. Despite all of that, the change of pace was quite a shock for her. She missed human interactions and her old work routine.

Although she had not discussed it with Edward, she called Dr Phillips for the address of the free clinic he had mentioned to her once. Her old chief was very helpful, calling the place himself and recommending her. One day, when Edward was at work, she dropped Matthew with Esme and Carlisle at their place, and drove to the clinic. She'd never worked in a similar place before, but she wasn't afraid of the new challenge. She couldn't imagine anything more difficult and challenging than her four years of training at Harborview.

After a short conversation with the chief doctor, she was accepted on the spot. She agreed to work three times a week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, six-hour shifts in the mornings and afternoons, but no nights or evenings.

Overjoyed with her accomplishment, she picked Matthew up from his grandparents, sharing the happy news with Esme. Her plan of returning to work wouldn't be possible without her mother-in-law who had offered to babysit Matthew while Bella was at work. Esme Cullen was very supportive of Bella's ambitions. The only possible problem was going to be Edward's reaction. Before Matthew's birth they had talked about her returning to work, and she remembered that Edward had not been particularly enthusiastic about it.

She was to start her new job the beginning of next week so she couldn't wait too long to inform Edward about her plans. She decided to take the bull by the horns and tell him the same day of her job interview.

After returning home with groceries and a cranky and tired baby who had spent an active time with his grandparents, Bella put her son to sleep, and began to prepare a nice dinner for Edward.

As usual, Edward came home a few minutes after five.

"Smells good," he said, entering the kitchen.

He peered past her shoulder into the pot. "Beef stroganoff?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice. It was one of his favorite dishes, but not Bella's. She rarely cooked it. "What's the occasion?"

"I have some news for you," Bella admitted.

He frowned, leaning against the counter next to her. "What news?"

"I'll tell you later, once you've eaten," she promised.

He touched her cheek with the back of his fingers, making her look at him. "You want me in a good mood? What's going on?"

Lifting up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. "You'll see, it's a good thing, don't worry," she assured him, grinning.

Edward didn't look convinced as he stepped back. "Where's Matthew?"

"Sleeping," she replied.

"At this hour?"

"I left him with your parents at the time of his usual nap, and you know how they like to play him hard. Michelle was there too, I think that they had fun together. He was tired and cranky when we got home."

"You were with Rosalie this afternoon then?" Edward asked. "While my mum was taking care of the grandchildren?"

Bella shook her head. "No, I was alone, running errands."

Edward sent her a long intensive look but said nothing.

"Go change and wash your hands," she told him. "Dinner should be ready in twenty minutes."

As soon as she was left alone in the kitchen, she breathed out in relief. She checked on the beef stroganoff, cooking slowly in a large pot.

It was time to prepare a light salad. Edward was a meat eater, but she always tried to smuggle some veggies into his diet.

She was slicing a long cucumber when Edward entered the kitchen, holding pale blue scrubs in his hand. After returning from the job interview, she had been so excited that she had taken out her old work gear from the bottom of a drawer, hanging it on the door of the closet.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked, thrusting the blue material into her face.

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"I would appreciate if you didn't throw things at me," Bella told him, bending to pick the blue scrubs up off of the hardwood floor.

"You had a work interview?" he demanded. "Right? That's the news?"

She held his gaze calmly. "Yes."

"Forget about it," he said. "You're not going back to work."

"Edward, please," she said, reaching to touch his arm. "We talked about this when I was still pregnant, do you remember? You said that we would discuss this when Matthew was older."

"Older, yes. But let me remind you that he is eight months old, and still a baby."

"He doesn't need me all day long," she justified. "I don't breastfeed him anymore. Besides, the job I applied for is only part-time, three days a week, for six-hour shifts. I am not working any nights or evenings, no weekends, and only during the day, mornings mostly. I will still have plenty of time to take care of you and Matthew. Your mum agreed to babysit while I'm at work."

"The job's not at the hospital?"

"No, no, I'm not returning to Harborview. I can't imagine working normal shifts."

"What is it then?"

"A free clinic."

"Where?"

She swallowed, knowing that the worst part was coming. "South Dearborn Street."

It took him a minute for shock to register. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"Look Edward, it's a nice place," she tried to convince him. "It is clean and secure, besides my bodyguard follows me everywhere so I will be safe."

"Are you doing this on purpose? Do you want to punish me in some sick way?" he demanded. "The wife of Edward Cullen works in a free clinic in the worst, most dangerous area in Seattle to pay for his sins. What the fuck is that?"

"Could you please lower your voice?" she asked. "You will wake Matthew, and watch your language; you know that he tries to repeat everything he hears now. And, I don't want to punish you, it's nothing personal. I simply want to work somewhere I can use my skills. Dr. Phillips recommended me."

He lifted his hand, his long finger pointing at her face. "I will tell you this only once. Forget about going back to work, especially in a place where you would be exposed to drug addicts and homeless people. When Matthew starts school, we can discuss your working part-time for a doctor in a private practice, a pediatrician or dentist preferably."

"I'm not a receptionist, I'm a nurse," she insisted.

"You're out of your mind," he informed her. "You have a young child, but you want to endanger yourself by treating common criminals?"

"I treated you once if I may remind you. Where would you be now if the doctors and nurses had refused to treat you just because of who you were?"

He stepped away from her. "You're not going back to work; that's my final word."

She straightened her back, lifting her chin. "I start on Monday at nine."

He walked out of the kitchen without another word.

Bella finished dinner, her hands shaking. When Edward stepped back into the dining area fifteen minutes later - he was showered, his hair was still wet, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt with a bright-eyed baby perched on his arm.

He settled Matthew into his highchair.

Bella put a bib around Matthew's neck. "I'll feed him," she told Edward. "Sit down and eat. You must be hungry."

The meal was completely silent interrupted only by Matthew's occasional baby speech. He was his usual happy safe, ignoring the tension between his parents.

As soon as Edward finished eating, he carried his empty plate into the kitchen and left it in the sink. Then, he returned to the table, picked up Matthew from his highchair, and carried him into the living room.

Edward played with Matthew for the rest of the evening. He behaved as if Bella hadn't been in the room with them.

Having cleaned the kitchen, she sat on the couch in front of the TV, mindlessly changing the channels, not watching anything. Edward had left the room a while ago, and she'd heard him giving Matthew a bath. But, it had been completely quiet for some time.

Turning off the TV, she went to check on Matthew. He was sleeping soundly in his bed; his angelic face was peaceful.

She adjusted his blanket and kissed his forehead before leaving the nursery.

"Edward," she whispered, entering their bedroom. The bedside lights were on, but there was no sight of her husband.

Bella thought she heard a muffled sound coming from the bathroom.

She pushed the door open. Edward was hovering over the toilet throwing what looked like her birth control pills into it. Catching her gaze, he slowly and deliberately flushed the water.

Bella crossed her arms over her chest. He wouldn't bully her. She wouldn't let him. "That's good, really good," she told him. "But, you did yourself a disservice I'm afraid. No sex until I get a new prescription, and that will take some time."

"No, you won't get a new prescription," he said, stepping away to show her the long marble counter behind him. There was her wallet lying open, with all of her credit and debit cards cut in half.

She gasped audibly, her eyes widening. "What have you done?"

Calmly, no emotion written on his face, he walked past her into the bedroom, saying. "You'll get new cards once you show me that you have returned to your senses. I won't allow you to hurt yourself or my son."

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It was after two am and even though she was tired; she couldn't close her eyes and go to sleep for the few remaining hours of the night.

Edward had no such problem. He'd been fast asleep since eleven. She could tell from the way he breathed and the way his relaxed body was thrown over most of the expanse of the mattress.

Bella curled herself as, usual, into a tight ball lying on her side, drawing the sheet safely up to her neck, snuggly covering her.

Her first instinct, when she'd seen the destroyed credit cards, had been to take her baby and run away. It took all of her self-control not to do just that. Edward was pushing her, testing her limits. He wanted to elicit a reaction from her. But she didn't give him the satisfaction. She just left him there. She stepped out of the bathroom, walked out of the bedroom, and straight to the floor to ceiling bookshelf that they had built in some two months ago to fit her vast book collection. She'd picked out a novel, settled herself on the her favorite padded lounge chair by the window, and began to read. Her hands were shaking only slightly as she turned the pages. It was a good thing that she knew Persuasion by Jane Austen almost by heart. She had read it many times since she'd been fifteen. For the first time, she had trouble making any sense out of it.

After some time, Edward returned to the living room, turning on the TV to the sports channel. She could feel his eyes on her, but she ignored him entirely.

Around ten she put the book back in its place, between Emma and Mansfield Park, and went to take a shower. Twenty minutes later, she was in bed on her side, her bedside lamp turned off. The bed in the spare bedroom called her temptingly, but this would only cause a probably violent reaction from Edward, and she didn't need that right now. What she needed was time to think, to decide what she should do, how she should act the best way for herself and Matthew.

She closed her eyes tighter, clenching the sheet in her fist as she heard Edward stepping inside the bedroom. He turned off all of the lights making the apartment completely dark except for the small muted light seeping from the nursery.

The bed dipped on the other side. She hoped for his own good that Edward wasn't stupid enough to try anything. But now, he didn't try to touch her. He must be angry too; she realized. He always hugged her before sleep even if they didn't make love.

For the next couple of hours, she considered every option she had. Going back to her parents, living for a while with Angela and Ben, asking Rosalie if she and Matthew could stay with her and Emmett for a few weeks, but eventually she rejected all those ideas. It was her problem, and she had to deal with it on her own.

Edward had tried to bully her; it was how he operated, but she wouldn't and couldn't allow him to act like that at home with his family.

She could now clearly see her error when she'd let him marry her in Las Vegas. He had threatened her back then, saying that he would take the baby away from her, but now she knew that those were only empty threats. He would never hurt her or Matthew. He loved them and was devoted to them. He only panicked when he thought that he was losing control over them. Then, he acted stupid and bully like.

What humiliated Bella the most was Edward destroying her credit cards, the ones he had given her himself. It was his way of telling her, "Look, you are nothing without my money." Her conviction to return to work was even stronger now. Free clinic, or any other kind of charity work was out of the question now. She needed to have her own money. It would be nothing compared to what Edward made, but it would give her a sense of independence and some self-respect. She didn't need his credit cards.

She had her own money, her old credit and debit cards hidden in her dresser. She hadn't been using them since their wedding. When Edward had new cards issued for her, she had stopped carrying her old ones in her wallet, simply because there was no room for all of them. Now, she was pretty sure that she had a good five thousand dollars in her old account.

She seriously doubted whether Edward suspected that she had savings of her own. When he'd found her pregnant at her parents' home in Forks, he'd thought her to be totally broke.

If she managed to find a part-time paid job now, she should have enough money to cover her needs. She should also be able to cover basic things for Matthew like diapers and groceries for the both of them as well as gas for her car. She doubted that Edward would take her car keys. With a small child under her care, she needed a good, reliable vehicle. The budget would be tight, but again it was something that she was used to all of her life. She knew she didn't have to worry about other bills. Edward would make sure that she and Matthew had a warm, safe home to live in, there was no doubt about that.

Perhaps another woman in her place would simply take the baby and go to a good lawyer, and ask for a legal separation or divorce. Bella didn't know a lot about those matters. But, she was pretty sure that according to federal law, she had every right to a portion of Edward's money. It was his obligation to support her and their son. Legally, he couldn't simply cut her off like that, no matter who he was. Any judge would order him to pay alimony and child support. Especially that she had had to quit her job due to her pregnancy, and she was unable to work full-time like she'd done before she had a child.

But threatening him with a lawyer and separation was her last resort. She hoped to work the things out differently. She had to show him that he had to respect her decisions and plans. Otherwise, she knew that he would have no respect for her.

_Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five **

**Great thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for editing it!**

"Where are you going?" Edward wanted to know.

Bella had Matthew settled on the small armchair in the hallway next to the front door, dressing him in his blue snowsuit. It was March, but the weather was still so cold that she didn't want to risk a jacket for him even the padded one.

"To Angela's," she replied, trying to put the little boots on the wiggling legs.

"You didn't say anything before."

"She just texted me today. She has an unexpectedly free day, and she wants to have a play date with her godson." She wasn't perfectly honest with him. It was Bella herself who had texted Angela first.

Bella felt that she had to leave even for a couple of hours - the tension between Edward and she was growing unbearable.

"You're going to stay at their place?"

"Yes, the weather's too nasty to go outside."

She hoisted Matthew in her arms, considering whether she should take his stroller. She had quickly decided against it. They weren't going for a walk after all.

"Security will accompany you."

"Of course," she said her expression blank.

He waited a bit. "Have a good time then," he said, hesitantly. "Here." He reached for his wallet. "You need money on you, just in case," he explained, extending his hand to her, a one hundred dollar bill between his two fingers.

Bella felt her cheeks grow hot, and not because of the warm coat that she was wearing. "No, thank you," she calmly refused. "I still have cash and money in the bank in my account."

"In your account?"

"Yes, perhaps you have forgotten, but I did work before I met you."

Matthew stuck out his hand grabbing the bill from his father. "Leave it, little man," Bella told him, taking the money just before he managed to stick it into his mouth. She dropped the bill on a small table next to the wall.

Picking up her designer diaper bag, a present from her mother-in-law, she hurried to the door. Edward was right behind her.

"Bella, wait," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

He ran his hand through his hair. "We need to talk."

"Later maybe?" she proposed, trying to keep her tone polite. "I don't want Matthew to get overheated in his snowsuit."

With a quiet sigh, he opened the door for her. "Go then," he said, visibly resigned. "When will you be back?"

"Before evening," she assured him.

She breathed out in relief as soon as she had gotten into the elevator. These last two days had been one of the hardest in her marriage so far. She had stayed home, the same as Edward, even though she knew that he had pre-arranged meetings yesterday and today. They didn't talk, apart from the necessary word exchange, mainly concerning Matthew, and they sounded more like polite strangers than a married couple.

Bella was too hurt, humiliated and angry to try to have a rational discussion with him, and she was not up to a full blown argument. Edward was pretty tense too. He seemed only to relax this morning when he heard her calling the free clinic, apologizing and explaining to them that she couldn't take the job after all due to a family emergency. In the corner of her eye she could see him smiling a little. He was wise enough to stop himself from commenting, because he wasn't sure how she would react – hitting him with something would be quite a good move.

They should talk; he was right. They couldn't live like this for much longer. The atmosphere was unbearable.

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"Come to aunt Angela, come, come," Angela cooed, crouching in front of Matthew. The boy was standing against the side of the couch, hesitation written all over his little face.

"Come," Angela encouraged, extending her hands to him. "Come, I'll catch you."

"I don't think that he's ready enough for such a big step," Bella commented from her place on the couch. "Edward has been trying the same thing for the past couple of weeks with no success so far."

Angela picked the baby up from the floor, lifting him high above her head, eliciting a delighted squeal.

"Aunt Angela has something for you," she said a minute later, cradling the baby to her chest.

"Oh, you didn't have to," Bella instantly protested. "You always give him something, every time you see him."

"Of course, I give him presents, he's my godson," Angela huffed, offended. "The sweetest baby boy ever," she cooed, kissing his chubby cheek loudly.

With Matthew in her arms, she grabbed a large shopping bag from behind the couch. Carefully, she sat the baby on the floor before spilling the contents of the bag in front of him. The soft wool-like blocks in different shapes and sizes covered the light green carpet.

"They're great," Bella praised. "And he can play with them silently. Recently, he's has a music box from one of the Edward's cousins. At first it was fun, watching him bounce to the melodies, but after one day, we had had enough. The damn thing is too loud. We have it hidden in the closet." She examined the piece more closely. "Is it wool?"

"They are handmade, only safe and environment friendly materials were used to make them," Angela explained. "He can put them in his mouth, and you can wash them in the washing machine."

"They must have cost a small fortune," Bella fretted.

Her friend waved her hand dismissively. "The most important thing is that Matthew seems to enjoy them." The women stared at the boy with a wide smile as he played with his new toy. He was throwing the blocks at first, then crawling busily to bring them back to a pile. Soon, he was bored with it, and just sat, trying to build something out of the colorful elements.

"I want one of my own," Angela confessed longingly.

"What's stopping you?" Bella asked.

"We want to own a house before we try, two bedrooms preferably."

"You're looking for something then?"

"Yes, but it's harder than I initially thought. The houses we really like are too expensive for us, and living in a place the size of a closet with a small baby is not something I look forward too."

"I remember how it was when I was shopping for my old condo," Bella said. "The place was run down and filthy; it was the only reason I got is so cheaply. It took a lot of work to make it livable."

"I remember." Angela nodded. "We wouldn't mind redoing something, but it still has to be in a good neighborhood and decently sized."

Bella thought about Edward and his real estate agency. Perhaps he could find something for Ben and Angela. They were friends and Matthew's godparents, after all.

Angela touched her forehead as if she remembered something all of a sudden. "I almost forgot to ask you. Are you returning to work? Carmen told me something about Dr. Phillips getting you a job at a free clinic."

Bella stood up, going after Matthew, who bored with the blocks had begun crawling dangerously close to the glass coffee table that had pushed against the wall.

"I had planned to," Bella said, returning to her place, the baby on her lap. "I even talked with the chief doctor there, but Edward didn't like that idea."

"Well, you can't blame him," Angela said reasonably. "That clinic isn't in the best neighborhood. I know that Ben wouldn't want me to work there."

"The problem is that Edward doesn't want me to work at all," Bella confessed. "He's very old-fashioned that way. He wants me to be like his mother. Sit at home with kids, and throw parties from time to time." Angela was her close friend, but she had no intention to reveal all the details to her. Some things were too private and too humiliating to mention even to the closest of friends.

"That doesn't sound that bad," Angela said gently. "Sometimes, I wish I didn't have to work, but Ben doesn't earn enough to support us both, especially now when we're planning to buy a house."

"I know how I may sound, Angie," Bella said. "But I need something outside of the house. Edward, his lifestyle and his family can be intensive. I need something of my own so as not to lose myself in all that."

"I get it; I do," Angela reassured her with a friendly smile. "And I think that I may have something for you."

"A job?" Bella brightened, lowering Matthew back on the floor.

"Do you remember Rashida from PICU?"

Bella shook her head. "No, not really."

"She had this great fashion sense, wearing original scrubs; we were asking her where she got them."

Bella frowned. "The one with teddy bears on her pants?"

"The same ones."

"She left two years ago," Bella remembered.

"Yes, and since then, she's been working for a pediatrician who has a private practice."

"And?" Bella was getting a little impatient.

"I hear that it's a great job but she wants to cut back on her hours. The female doctor she's working for is very picky, and they are having trouble finding someone good enough to replace her."

"That's sounds interesting," Bella said. "Why is she cutting back? Is that something permanent? Is she getting married?"

"No, nothing like that, she has a new career, totally outside of the medical field."

"Like what?" Bella asked, taking a block that Matthew brought to her.

"A fashion blogger," Angela announced with a big smile.

"You're kidding? A fashion blogger? "Bella cried unbelievably. "What's that?"

"You've never visited a fashion blog?"

"No."

"She takes photos of herself every day in different outfits and she posts them on the blog."

"Ok, that's weird," Bella said, accepting another blog from Matthew. "Thank you, baby," she said, kissing the top of his dark head.

"It is not," Angela defended. "It's her passion. She has nearly five hundred thousand hits on her site every day."

Bella's eyebrows rose high on her forehead. "Five hundred thousand and every day?" she murmured unbelievably. "Wow, that's something."

"And she's earning some very serious money from it."

Bella was confused. "But how?"

"She gets offers for jobs from different fashion magazines, fashion channels, has her own bag line, and she gets presents from various brands, you know like clothes and accessories."

"I need to check out this blog," Bella decided. "It's kind of amazing."

"Yes, it is. As for the job, are you interested?"

"Sure, I am."

"Ok, let me give her a call and get the details," Angela said. "It's Saturday; she shouldn't be working today."

"Thank you, Angie that would be great." Bella smiled. The job sounded too good to be true. A private pediatric practice, it was a workplace to which even Edward couldn't object to. And even better, the doctor was a woman.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Half an hour later, Angela finished the call with her friend, Rashida.

"All done," she said triumphantly, dropping onto the couch next to Bella. "You are to be there on Monday morning at eight. The doc will interview you; Rashida will text me the exact address later, and I'll forward it to you as soon as I get it."

"What's the doctor's name?" Bella wanted to know.

"Dr. Chang."

"I've heard about her." Bella's face brightened. "We considered her as a pediatrician for Matthew but eventually decided to go with the one that Rosalie is using for Michelle. I'm certain that Dr. Chang was on the list of pediatricians that Edward had made."

"You see, it's a small world. She has to be good with an excellent reputation if you considered her. Your husband seems to be rather selective when it comes to such matters."

"Yes, he is," Bella agreed quietly. Leaning forward, she hugged her friend. "Thanks, Angie. I don't know what I would do without you. You don't know how much this opportunity means to me."

Angela patted her back gently. "I'm glad I could help."

In the meantime, Matthew had abandoned his blocks, crawling over to Bella. He was visibly tired, blinking his green eyes.

"Come here, little man," Bella murmured softly, picking him up in her arms. "You're tired, aren't you?" She cradled him against her, in her arms, like when she used to nurse him, kissing his dark, silky hair. "Sleep, baby boy," she whispered, stroking his back. The child's eyelids fluttered a few times before closing completely.

"Here," Angela said, reaching for a blanket from the armrest.

Bella nodded in thanks, covering Matthew with it.

"He looks like an angel."

Bella smiled. "He's a sound sleeper. Especially, when we're in a car. The moment he's in his car seat, his eyes are closed. When we were visiting my parents for Christmas, he slept for most of the drive, waking only for a diaper change."

"I think that I'd like a girl," Angela mused. "All of those cute little dresses I could buy for her."

"You should have a girl," Bella agreed. "Matthew would be just a little older than her; they could marry one another someday."

Angela laughed quietly. "I'm not sure if they'd be open to such an idea. I remember when my mum wanted to play matchmaker with Ben's mother. They wanted us together just because they'd been best friends forever. I hated him back then; my mum was always inviting him over, and it made me mad. I was at that age when I still thought that the boys had cooties."

"Obviously, you overcame your repulsion," Bella pointed out dryly.

"Yes, but it took me a long time to see him in a different light."

"Well then, we'll just have to be diplomatic about it."

"I'm not sure if any of us can be truly diplomatic."

Their teasing exchange was interrupted by the doorbell.

Angela frowned. "Who can that be?" she wondered out loud.

"Are you expecting someone?" Bella asked.

"No, and Ben won't be home before tomorrow morning."

Angela went to open the door, and soon Bella heard a familiar male baritone. She couldn't believe it. Couldn't he leave them alone even for a few hours? Was it really too much to ask? She'd come here to escape from him for a little while.

"Hi, love," he said sweetly as Angela took his coat.

"Hi," she managed politely even though she doubted whether her facial expression could exactly be called inviting.

Edward took a seat close to her, leaning over to kiss her cheek and later Matthew's dark head.

"What are you doing here?" she wanted to know.

He put on an earnest expression. "I had a meeting at a club not far from here. I thought I would stop by, take you and Matthew home."

"Sure," Bella murmured.

Angela returned with a large plate piled high with cute triangle cut, tiny sandwiches. "Help yourself, please." She smiled at Edward. "I baked the bread for these myself."

"Excellent," Edward assured her, swallowing three at once.

Angela beamed at his praise. "I'll make us some strong tea. It's already March, but it's cold like January," she said, before disappearing into the kitchen.

They were alone again. Bella moved Matthew onto a large armchair, stacking pillows around him so he wouldn't roll off.

Edward leaned into her again, whispering in her ear. "Are you still angry?" he asked.

Bella looked him right in the eyes. "You are unbelievable," she whispered back, stressing every word.

He shrugged, smiling goofily. "I can't stay angry with you for very long."

That was true; she had to admit. Edward had a temper, but he couldn't hold a grudge for very long. Bella was entirely different. She didn't forget easily, and she liked to nurse her hurt feelings for a long time, analyzing the situation over and over.

Angela returned with fresh tea, and they drank it silently for a while.

Bella stared at Edward through narrowed eyes, an idea coming to her.

"Angela and Ben are looking for their first home," she said.

Edward focused his eyes on his wife's friend. "You're buying?"

Angela nodded. "Yes, we're planning to, we're done with renting. We've been looking for a few months, but it's harder than we thought."

"Perhaps your agency could help them," Bella said.

"I thought the same," Edward assured quickly.

Angela frowned. "Agency?" she asked, her voice unsure.

"Edward owns a real estate agency," Bella explained.

"One of my best agents will give you a call," Edward said. "Let's say on Monday? Will that be convenient."

"Yes, that would be great," Angela said, but she sounded doubtful.

Edward grinned. "Don't worry. It's perfectly legal."

Angela blushed to the roots of her blonde hair. "Of course, I didn't think otherwise," she cried out, her voice unnaturally high pitched.

Edward just chuckled, shaking his head.

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Matthew, invigorated by a rather long nap he had at Aunt Angela's, after their return home, wanted to play. By the loud squeals and demanding little cries, he required the presence of both his parents by his side. Soon, Edward won the competition for the most playful parent by lying flat on the carpet allowing his son to crawl all over him.

With Matthew's attention successfully diverted, Bella stepped into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Her last attempt to convince Edward of her idea of returning to work had been a disaster, despite the good food she'd had on the table that night. But today, her chances seemed to be better. Edward had been placated by her call to the free clinic, cancelling their initial arrangement for Bella to work there. He couldn't possibly have anything against her working for the pediatrician that he had once considered good enough to be his son's doctor.

"Dinner's ready," Bella cried cheerfully, placing meatballs on the table generously coated in tomato sauce accompanied with salad and rice for her and Edward, and steamed veggies for Matthew.

Since Matthew had started to eat solids when he'd been six months old, Bella had been obsessed with preparing healthy and well-balanced meals for him. He was a good eater, and usually, ate everything that she made for him, but his preferences were obvious. Like his father, he liked meat, mashed potatoes and lots of sweets. Lately, their pediatrician suggested that the baby could have what the rest of the family ate, and there was no need to prepare something different just for him. Bella agreed with that as it was much less work for her, but she always made sure that her son had some veggies when there was meat for dinner. And, let's face it; Edward liked to have meat every day.

Edward walked into the kitchen with Matthew perched on his hip. Bella smiled to herself because both father and the son had the same hungry expression written on their faces as they both hungrily eyed the table.

"Meatballs, good," Edward murmured appreciatively. He settled Matthew in his high chair, before sitting himself, immediately piling the food onto his plate. "The sandwiches that Angela gave us were fancy, but hardly something to fill your stomach," he commented, before stuffing his mouth with half of a meatball.

"Eat some salad and rice too," Bella gently suggested.

With a suffering expression, Edward added a very small amount of rice and two lone broccolis from the salad bowl to the sizeable heap of meatballs on his plate.

Bella sighed inwardly, shaking his head. It was always a challenge to convince Edward to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Her son instantly got her attention, slamming his pudgy hands against the tray attached to his highchair. "Right away, sir," Bella grinned, cutting a meatball on his plate into smaller pieces. He certainly liked it because as soon as he swallowed what he had in his mouth; he was ready for another bite opening his little mouth wide. It was kind of hilarious to watch. Successfully, she managed to feed him some vegetables between the bites of meat.

"It was very nice of you to offer to help Angela find the right house for them," Bella said. When Matthew had finished his main course, she could at last, eat her meal. In case he was hungry for something more, she put some soft fruit on his plate that he could eat by himself. Raspberries and bananas were his absolute favorites.

Edward gave her a long, appraising look, before shrugging his shoulders. "It's the least I can do. She's a good friend of yours. Besides, if Matthew is going to visit them, they need to live in something appropriate that is in a good, safe neighborhood.

He returned to eating, adding the last two meatballs onto his plate. He must like them. While he was busy chewing, Bella deadpanned.

"I have a job interview on Monday morning."

Edward stopped chewing, his heavy gaze stopping on her for a moment. He swallowed, drank some water and then said. "You won't budge on this, will you?" he asked, his voice a little resigned which gave her a little hope.

She shook her head. "I won't."

With a suffering sigh, he leaned back in his chair. "Just don't say that it's another free clinic in a rough neighborhood or that you're returning to long shifts at the hospital."

"It's nothing like that," she quickly assured him, giving him more details about the prospective job.

"It doesn't sound that bad," he reluctantly admitted. "At least, you would be safe there."

It wasn't a 'yes' but wasn't a 'no' either. Satisfied, Bella cleaned Matthew's face and hands before handing him to Edward, ordering him to leave the kitchen so she could clean up.

Edward was, usually, quite eager to help clean after a meal that she had cooked, but he was so bad at the job that Bella preferred to do it herself. He only got on her nerves when he helped her. His work was sloppy, and even though he would never admit it, he couldn't properly operate the dishwasher. Don't even get her started on the washing machine. Of course, he had never had to do those things as the Cullens had a live-in housekeeper. Bella promised herself that she would teach Matthew to cook basic food as well as clean up after himself so his future girlfriend or wife wouldn't have to do everything by herself like Bella did.

When Bella returned to the living room, she found both of her men lounging on the couch, watching the sports channel. There was some very serious male bonding going on.

As soon as she took a seat next to them, Matthew crawled over to her. He snuggled against her side as she kissed his head, rubbing his small back. He was such a sweet little boy. He adored Edward but deep in his heart; he was a Mama's boy.

Edward smiled, taking his eyes off of the sports news to look at them.

"The job interview is at eight am. I have to leave a few minutes after seven to get there on time. Can you stay home to watch Matthew? I could take him with me, but I don't want to wake him up so early."

He stared straight at the flat TV screen. "I can't," he answered. "I have my first meeting at ten."

Bella's heart sank. It was not likely that she would be able to be home before ten. Her new employer could want her to work for a few hours to see how she dealt with patients.

"But, I can drop him at my parents' house around ten," he relented.

"Oh, thank you," Bella exclaimed, leaning over to kiss his cheek impulsively.

Edward instantly shifted closer to her, putting his arm around her.

"Can you explain to me why you have to work?" he asked.

She moved a sleepy Matthew onto her lap, settling him against her chest before answering. "I need to earn some money to buy myself things I need."

"That's nonsense. You can have everything you want. Have I ever refused you anything?"

"Yes. Two days ago when you destroyed the credit cards you gave me," she reminded him coldly. "Can you imagine how that made me feel? How humiliated I felt? As if you were saying, you're nothing without my money. So now I will have money of my own, earned by me."

He stared at her for a moment; his expression lost. "I lost my temper that day. When I heard about your plans to work in that clinic, I just lost it. I would do anything to stop you. I wasn't thinking, and I have already applied for new cards for you. They will be here next week."

"So you could cut them in half again when I do something you aren't happy with?" she asked snidely.

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing loudly in exasperation. "Destroying your credit cards was stupid, ok? I admit that, and I apologize, and I swear I won't do it again," he vowed. "Will you please forget about this and accept the new ones?"

She lifted her chin high. "No, I won't. I will earn money to cover my expenses."

"Don't be ridiculous!" he cried out. "What if there is an emergency situation with Matthew and you need money right away?"

"Then, I will call you."

"Christ, give me patience," Edward murmured, standing up and walking into the kitchen.

He was back a minute later with a bottle of beer in his hand. He took a seat next to her and Matthew, taking a long sip.

"On Monday, my accountant will put money in your old account."

"I don't want anything!"

He ignored her. "That way, your credit limit will be automatically raised."

Bella sulked in silence. He could put money in her account, but she didn't have to use it.

"Retuning to my question – care to explain to me why you feel that you have to return to work? Are we not enough for you, me and Matthew?" he asked, his expression pitiful.

"Don't you dare go there Edward Cullen!" she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him. "I sacrificed a lot to be with you. This is one thing I want. My part-time job won't hurt anyone. I need this or I will go crazy," she cried fiercely.

Her last word seemed to get to him at last. "Fine," he muttered. "But I have one condition of my own."

"Like what?"

"I want another baby," he told her.

"Now? Just now when I am about to return to work?"

"Do you even want another one?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," she answered without hesitation.

"When?"

She thought for a moment. "When Matthew starts preschool."

"I can live with that," he agreed. "He will be about four when his brother or sister is born, that's not a huge age difference."

Bella breathed out in relief. They seemed to have found a compromise. She couldn't stop herself from a small jab at his expense. "May I only remind you that not even ten months ago, you vowed not to sire any more children, and even offered to get yourself snipped."

Edward's hand went self-consciously to his crotch. "I was overwhelmed with emotions. I didn't expect that childbirth could be such a horrifying experience."

"Still, you're willing to go through it again?"

"Yes, perhaps I am selfish; Bella, but I want more children with you. I can't deny that."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next couple of months passed peacefully and happily for Bella. First of all, Matthew was doing great. Apart from a bad cold which he had caught in April, he was perfectly healthy. Not only was he walking, but running, becoming more and more confident in his little legs as they carried him around the apartment. He loved the outdoors, and a trip to the park was a must every single day. His temper showed when he was denied it due to bad weather. Bella at last had managed to lose all of her pregnancy weight and even more while chasing after her energetic boy. Edward began to mention the possibility of moving to a house with a garden, and Bella agreed that it would be the best for Matthew. The close vicinity of the park was great, but their own backyard would be even better. She loved their current apartment, but she had to admit that a house would be the best for a family with a small child. Especially, something in a pleasant neighborhood where Matthew could run freely and play with other kids. She still didn't like the idea of a gated property like the one Edward's parents lived in, even though Edward would probably prefer something like that.

Her new job was great, certainly not as challenging and stressful like her old one, but she enjoyed it. Dr. Chang was amicable and a down to earth woman. Her patients ranged from newborns and toddlers like Matthew to one college boy who was nineteen, but refused to go to any other physician than Dr. Chang.

Bella, usually, worked the mornings and was free after one pm. This allowed her plenty of time to pick up Matthew from his grandparents, go to the park, and later do housework and cook dinner. Edward cooperated by taking Matthew to his parent's house every day, usually around nine.

Bella kept her promise, and managed not to use a penny from the healthy sum which Edward had put into her account. To be entirely honest, she didn't have that much expense. Edward paid for almost everything. He had even arranged with the owner of her favorite organic grocery store to bill him whenever she shopped there. This was extremely convenient for Bella's finances as the organic beef she bought for Edward or the ecologically grown vegetables for Matthew were very expensive. If she were to pay for all that by herself, it would easily eat up all her earnings.

Edward and Bella hadn't returned to the topic of credit cards. But the matter came up unexpectedly when one Saturday, Esme and Rosalie stopped by their apartment, announcing that it was a girl's day out, and they were all going shopping. Edward had left with Matthew without being asked if he had time or was willing to watch him.

It was a fun day until Esme noticed that Bella had only one credit card, and she wasn't buying much, apart from a few books and one cotton top. Gently, but persistently, she was questioned by her mother-in-law. Bella admitted that she was using her old credit card from the time when she had still been single. She didn't want to lie that she'd left her other cards at home. At the same time, she wasn't eager to admit what had happened with her other cards and why. Thankfully, Esme left her be, and didn't push for more explanations, simply offering to pay for Bella's purchases, and everything that caught her eye. Bella felt horrible about her mother-in-law buying her things and vehemently refused. Esme only eyed her suspiciously but said nothing more.

She did say a lot to Edward though. On their way back home from the upscale mall, they first dropped Rosalie off before going to Bella and Edward's place. Esme insisted on saying hello to her grandson before heading back home. Bella could hardly refuse her that.

Esme hugged Matthew, giving him a new toy, bought today. But soon enough, she passed the boy to Bella before asking Edward for a few words of conversation.

They closed themselves in a spare bedroom, and Bella couldn't help overhear some of their exchange. Edward's voice was quiet, but Esme's was not. Bella wasn't sure if he told his mother everything and how he explained himself out of this, but from what Bella could hear, Esme Cullen wasn't pleased with her firstborn.

After twenty minutes, they came out. Edward didn't look thrilled.

Esme had hugged Bella and Matthew tightly before she left, entirely ignoring Edward.

Whatever she'd said to him had to have worked well. Since then, Edward was asking her very politely and sincerely every second of the day whether she would please accept the new credit cards which he had issued to her. It was getting to the point when it was embarrassing, and frankly ridiculous. Bella was about to give in and take the damn cards, just to stop him from asking.

The mafia business, as Bella referred to it in her thoughts, was calm as well. There was nothing strange or dangerous going on as far as she could tell. Edward hadn't been particularly stressed, and he was home every night and weekend. His occasional business trips were short, not more than two-three days and rarely happened.

Life was good, not perfect because Bella always had at the back of her mind, her husband's real occupation, and she couldn't pretend that it didn't bother her. But she learned to live with it, or at least she thought that she had.

It was Friday morning, a few minutes before eight when she got to work. Stacy, the receptionist, was already there, straightening the magazines in the waiting area and watering the plants.

"Dr. Chang's already here?" Bella asked Stacy after greeting her. She could see that there was already one little patient with its mother in the waiting are.

"She is, she is," Stacy whispered, making Bella wonder why she was whispering in the first place. "But there are some men with her, from the FBI," the receptionist said, her eyes widening dramatically.

Bella's heart stopped. "The FBI?" she repeated.

"Yes, is that not strange? I hope that Dr. Chang is not in trouble with the law because we could all lose our jobs."

Bella shook her head slowly. "I don't think that she is."

"When I came to open at half-past seven they were already here, showed me their badges, and asked to be let in, saying that they wanted to wait for the doctor."

That moment, one of the doors opened, and Dr. Chang was standing in the doorway. "Bella, you're here, that's good, I thought that I heard your voice. Can I talk with you for a moment?"

Bella nodded and followed the woman inside. The small room seemed crowded with two men standing by the window, behind the desk.

Even though, over two years had passed, Bella had no trouble with recognizing them. They were the same agents who had come to her old apartment when she and Edward had started meeting each other.

"I will leave you alone," Dr. Chang said, doing just that.

The younger man spoke first. "Do you remember us, Mrs. Cullen? We're from the FBI."

"I do remember," she said. "Agents Miller and Ramirez."

"You have a good memory, Mrs. Cullen," Ramirez praised.

"Let's sit down," Miller said, and both men took a seat on the small sofa against the wall.

Bella remained where she was, standing.

"Sit down, Mrs. Cullen," Ramirez said. "We have things to discuss. It will take some time."

"I have nothing to say to you," Bella said fiercely. "What are you doing here? This is my workplace. I'll tell my husband that you're following me."

"We don't want you to say anything to your husband," Ramirez said. "We have a proposition for you."

"I'm not interested," she said flatly. "Now please, leave, or I'll call my husband. My bodyguard is downstairs; I can call him at any moment."

"Calm down," Miller soothed. "We only want to talk. You can help your husband."

"Is he in trouble?" she asked, her heartbeat accelerating.

"He's always in some sort of trouble," Ramirez said. "It's written in his profession, is it not?"

"What do you want?"

The men exchanged looks. "We want you to help us when the time comes."

"Time for what?"

"It is not a secret to us that you have a great influence on Cullen," Miller started.

"We also think that you don't approve of his illegal activities," Ramirez added. "You left him and tried to hide your pregnancy from him. It was around the same time when he gave away Miazga to us; I'm sure that you heard about that man, the owner of the baby factories in Europe. Our guess is that it was under your influence that Cullen decided to drop that branch of his empire and hand it over to us."

"That's nothing of your business," Bella cried, opening the door. "Now, please leave, or I'll call my bodyguard."

Before she knew what was happening, Ramirez shot to the door, while Miller pushed her against it. She was now being effectively trapped between the two of them.

"Very soon, we'll make your husband another proposition of cooperation. And we want you to talk him into accepting it. You can do that, we know," Ramirez said.

"Let me go," Bella said, trying to push away from them.

"You want him to be a proper citizen right?" Miller said, pinning her to the door. "We can make that happen."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "Watch yourself, he will finish you the moment I tell him what happened here, and that you manhandled me."

Both men stepped back. "You have grown a backbone, little nurse," Miller praised. "I shouldn't be surprised with that; you had to, living with him."

"Think about what we said," Ramirez added. "You want your son growing up with a father who isn't labeled a criminal, right?"

"We'll go now," Miller opened the door. "If you're smart, you won't tell Cullen about our meeting."

"We hope to see you soon, Mrs. Cullen," Ramirez said, nodding his head with mock respect.

At last they left closing the door behind them. Bella sat heavily in the nearest chair. She should have perceived that something like this would happen. Things had been too good.

The door opened, Stacy sticking her head inside. "Bella, Dr. Chang needs you."

"Yeah, right, I'm coming," Bella said, standing up.

"Are you ok?" Stacy asked worriedly.

"Yes, fine, just fine," she assured quickly.

"You're so pale."

Bella shook her head. "I'm always pale. Let's go."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A few hours later, Bella sat on the couch in the living room, staring out of the window. Matthew was still with his grandparents; Esme and Carlisle were taking him to the zoo today and they would bring him back later than usual.

She'd been so distracted at work that Dr. Chang had to call Rashida to come earlier than normal, sending Bella home. Since coming back about an hour ago, Bella hadn't moved from her spot, hadn't removed her purse, shoes or jacket.

She didn't know what to think about all of this. Was the FBI right? Was it possible for Edward to permanently leave the mafia behind him? She couldn't believe it. It seemed impossible, both too dangerous and too good to be true.

Edward, despite all of his faults, was a good man, she firmly believed that. Was there a chance for him? For all of them? What should she do now?

_Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


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